The New Ganni x Lululemon Collection Looks Straight Out of an '80s Dance Film
The campaign stars Jennifer Beals from 'Flashdance.'
Not only did '80s dance movies (think Fame, Footloose, and Dirty Dancing) motivate me to start dancing, but the fashion in them influenced the way I dressed behind the ballet barre, too. Needless to say, on October 8, when Ganni and Lululemon confirmed their collaboration took "cues from the energy and self-expression of 1980s dance films," I couldn't wait to debut the part-Scandi-girl, part-athleisure pieces at my next jazz class.
Following collaborations with New Balance, Barbour, Levi's, and more, the Danish fashion house designed a "playful" 22-piece collection with the Canadian athletic wear brand, which "takes inspiration from the world of dance, introducing unique products that deliver an effortless blend of performance and style from the studio, the street, and everywhere in between," according to a press release.
Campaign photos for Ganni x Lululemon, starring Jennifer Beals and Mette.
Tank tops, leggings, sweatsuits, and even a little white dress were reimagined through the nostalgic, slightly rebellious lens of romantic '80s dance movies, a genre that Ditte Reffstrup, the creative director of Ganni, has adored since childhood. Basically, if Jennifer Grey would've worn the design to waltz with Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing, Reffstrup saved it a spot in the leopard-printed lineup.
"I’ve always been drawn to the energy, determination, and sense of freedom in those films, and the way dance becomes such a powerful form of self-expression," she said in a statement. "For the collection, we brought that '80s dance energy into the colors and details, then mixed it with Ganni signatures like leopard and frills, and Lululemon’s world of movement.”
Ganni x Lululemon delivered a movie-worthy campaign, too.
It takes two to tango, though. So, while Ganni brought the bold color combinations, feminine ruffles, and semi-sheer branded styles, Lululemon brought its "clean lines and performance engineering."
"When we first started talking about the collection, Ditte said her movement practice was dance, and everything flowed from there,” Lululemon global creative director Jonathan Cheung added to the statement. "What I love about this collection is its use of our technical materials combined with the iconic Ganni style.”
Mette wore semi-sheer tights featuring Ganni's logo.
Back to the Footloose-ready feel of it all. Bodysuits, leg warmers, boleros, headbands, and oversized crewneck sweaters made the ballerina-friendly athletic pairing. The Ruffle-Trim Flat Mate slipper-style flats offer a twist on Lululemon's existing high-vamp pair, turning them into grab-and-go shoes worthy of dancers and Scandi girls alike.
Beals danced for Ganni x Lululemon, Flashdance style.
With much of the selection inspired by films like Dirty Dancing and Fame, it would've been wrong to showcase the collection outside of a dance studio. So, for the "Joy Is a Power Move" campaign, Flashdance star Jennifer Beals, singer-dancer Mette, and more models sported Ganni x Lululemon looks and posed beside full-length mirrors and barres.
Beals wore a full leopard-print outfit with ease.
Fully committing to the made-for-a-dance-movie bit, the campaign's short film also showcases the designs in a cinematic way, blurring "the line between rehearsal and performance, balancing the emotional charge of the 1980s with a fresh, contemporary energy."
"What an honor it is to be part of a campaign that promotes connecting to joy through movement as an integral part of life,” Beals said. “As a longtime Lululemon and Ganni customer, I am so thrilled to be invited to be a small part of this incredible collaboration.”
"This project delightfully tied together so many threads from my life. Lululemon has moved with me since dance school, while Ganni's fashionable charm entered my world when I was working on a film in London,” Mette added in the announcement. “I grew up learning to weld from my dad, always looking toward the possibility of a big audition or a break into the arts someday. Getting to know and admire Jennifer and share a dance with her to my music felt like a piece of that dream coming to life.”
Mette wore a bodysuit beneath a Ganni-branded sweatsuit.
Luckily for me (and other dancers-turned-fashion-people), the Ganni x Lululemon collaboration launches online and in select stores on Oct. 15. Bookmark this space to shop every exercise staple next week. Then, sign up for a dance class or two. This collection is made for the stage.
