San Francisco Ballet soloist WanTing Zhao counts Old Hollywood actress Audrey Hepburn and current "it" model Bella Hadid as her major style icons—something which comes across in her own sartorial looks. Choosing classic pieces with on-trend elements (like her black turtleneck dress with its lace-up sleeves), Zhao also has an eye for detail, adding pops of bold color and accessorizing with delicate hoop earrings. "I usually wear turtlenecks, high-waisted jeans and sneakers," Zhao says of her off-duty style. "It's chic and comfy."
That description carries over to her studio look, too, which Zhao says is always a leotard with pink tights. "I usually wear my hair in a low bun with either a side or center part, and I like to wear a little bit of foundation, eyeliner and mascara—all from Tom Ford," she says.
Dorothée Gilbert doesn't subscribe to a single sartorial look. "I love to wear a beautiful dress or something very sophisticated for a night out or a party after a show," the Paris Opéra Ballet étoile explains during a tour to New York City. "But for a casual day, I have more of a boyish style, like jeans with a beautiful jacket." Gilbert likes to pair online finds with pieces she collects while traveling or shopping at Parisian vintage stores.
She even finds inspiration from designers that she works with through POB, like Balmain's Olivier Rousteing, who created costumes this past spring for Sébastien Bertaud's new work, Renaissance. "We wore these beautiful jackets with diamonds and pearls for the ballet," Gilbert says. "But I also love Olivier's everyday designs."
Gilbert's twist on classic style translates to her studio look as well, where she adds fun warm-ups to her traditional rehearsal wear. "I prefer leotards—or tunics, as we call them in French—because they're easier for partnering," she says. Another staple? Her black knit pants with a multicolored print down the right leg. "I always wear them before a performance, especially on tour."
Fabrice Calmels has his studio look down to a science: a warm vest, traditional ballet tights, his favorite Lululemon yoga pants and—most importantly—the piece he calls his "accent T-shirt," which acts as the focal point. "I don't like anything too flashy," the Joffrey Ballet dancer says, "but I will always have an accent T-shirt, and it's always a cartoon character that is really well known." His collection of shirts features Pokémon, Transformers and Lilo & Stitch, among others.
Accents play a role in his streetwear, too. "It depends where the accent color is," he says. "If I pick whiter shoes, then I try to keep my jeans and my upper body a little bit darker, plain. If it's my shirt, then my shoes are going to be much more simple." Calmels gets some of his ideas about fashion from friends he's made in the modeling world. After participating in a Versace campaign in Chicago, he signed with IMG Models. He favors an urban vibe—well-cut leather jackets, classic T-shirts, jeans and sneakers. But even with staple pieces, he has an eye for quality and detail. "I'm looking for cool, slightly different, but still simple," he says. "Not just a plain T-shirt you can find anywhere."
