‘Phantom,’ Remodeled: A First Have a look at the Costumes of New York’s Immersive ‘Masquerade’

For Sosa—a Broadway mainstay who obtained his begin at New York’s storied Grace Costumes store working with opera divas Beverly Sills and Denyce Graves— Masquerade represented an opportunity to “faucet into my reservoir of issues that I’ve wished to design however by no means obtained an opportunity.” He advised Vogue that the manufacturing’s official crystal companion, Preciosa, opened up their coffers and let him be a child of their sweet retailer. (Additionally they supplied some 30,000 crystals for the musical’s crashing chandelier.)

“I wished to method this like I used to be doing a movie, the place the digicam is true in your face,” Sosa continued. “The viewers right here is true on prime of you, so that they see each element—entrance, again, facet, and underneath. That allowed us to actually exhibit some actually cool craftsmanship that you simply received’t see on a stage.”

But the manufacturing’s performers received’t be the one individuals dolled up: Masquerade requires viewers members to “gown extravagantly” in black, white, or silver and to don a masks. (Formichetti designed two for this goal: one, that includes customized lace and embroidery—“slightly punk and barely erotic”—is included with admission; the opposite, extra elaborate masks is obtainable for buy.)

Paulus (Jagged Little Tablet, Waitress), who has been creating Masquerade for greater than two years, drew her personal inspiration from the grand balls of fin de siècle Paris—“epic, theatrical occasions for which individuals would spend a yr making ready,” she famous.

“Tapping into this historical past of masquerades and asking the viewers to be a companion—it begins with, ‘What are you gonna put on?” she added. “And also you’re already taking part. Our lives might be very informal as of late, and the thought of not spectacle, however event is actually thrilling.”

Forward of the beginning of performances later this month, Formichetti, Sosa, and Paulus gave Vogue an unique take a look at Masquerade’s masks, costumes, and total reinvention of a traditional work of musical theater.

A mirrored masks for the Phantom