Vogue100 Peeked Behind the Curtain at New York City Ballet with Tiler Peck and Wendy Whelan

On a recent morning at Lincoln Center, Vogue100 had the delight of uncovering decades worth of New York City Ballet’s rich fashion history—one tutu at a time. The hallowed venue and its stage, as associate artistic director Wendy Whelan reminded guests, “never gets old.” Guests joined Whelan and prima ballerina Tiler Peck for a rare glimpse behind the curtain, stepping into a world where costumes shape choreography and every fold, pleat, and drape tells a story of elegance in motion.

The morning began in the David H. Koch Theater, where guests were welcomed to the shimmering lobby and promenade which features this year’s New York City Ballet Art Series installation by Thibaut Grevet. With the theater completely to themselves, light reflected off the polished floors and gilded balconies, casting an intimate glow over a stage empty of anyone else—an extraordinary, private moment before the magic of performance.

Whelan led an exclusive backstage tour through the company’s archival costumes, revealing treasures that date back decades. She showed a sculptural creation by Iris van Herpen and described it as evoking Greek goddesses, highlighting the intricate details that make the piece so striking on stage. Guests listened in awe as Whelan recounted how two choreographers independently chose the same designer for a production, shaping their dances around the costume.

The backstage magic extended onto the stage itself. Under Whelan’s guidance, guests stepped into the spotlight of Koch Theater, where Jennifer Lee and Carmen Kang posed and experienced a fleeting taste of life as a ballerina.

Guests enjoyed an intimate conversation with Peck, who reflected on her favorite costumes and her experiences collaborating with designers for different dances. She shared warm memories of summers spent with the late Valentino Garavani, who once cast her in a striking red costume in a black-and-white ballet with a single gesture, teaching her about presence, confidence, and style. She also recounted stories of how choreographers built dances around the dresses, and how wearing costumes by Zac Posen and Versace has shaped her understanding of fashion, movement, and personal style.

Among the treasures revealed was a whimsical commedia dell’arte-inspired tutu by Tsumori Chisato for Justin Peck’s Pulcinella Variations, where structured forms open into playful shapes, transforming the dancer and inviting movement that feels spontaneous yet precise. Each costume, Peck emphasized, is a vehicle for character—where the fabric flows, the silhouette shifts, and the performer becomes a living story on stage.

As the early hours concluded back on the promenade, reflections lingered on the backstage tour and the stories behind each costume. In a space so full of magic, Vogue100 left with a deeper appreciation for the legacy and creativity that continue to shape the cultural institution.