In Act 1, Manon is a simple country girl on her way to be interred in a Convent.

I was immediately reminded of Maria from The Sound of Music:

​

"...our worldly clothes were given to the poor"

"What about this one?"

"Oh, the poor didn't want this one"

​

and set out to create a simple, ugly dress that would enhance Manon's charms.

Joe, in his original brief, spoke about Manon's glow, and I decided to start slow with beige, and green velvet to link to De Grieux and give her a strokable sensation.

Most of the detail in Manon's clothes focus on the hips to reference, and is especially obvious in this dress, the 1700's paniers of the original novel, as well as Lanvin's pannier dresses/ robe de style of the 1920's.

​

Epoisen: Stephanie Cullingford