{"id":191621,"date":"2025-11-20T23:57:11","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T23:57:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/191621\/"},"modified":"2025-11-20T23:57:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T23:57:11","slug":"billy-corgan-taps-house-of-gilles-and-simon-ungless-for-opera-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/191621\/","title":{"rendered":"Billy Corgan Taps House of Gilles and Simon Ungless for Opera Project"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tIn what might be an example of prismatic partnerships, Friday\u2019s premier of \u201cA Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness\u201d at the Lyric Opera of Chicago radiates.<\/p>\n

The new commission is inspired by the Smashing Pumpkins\u2019 double album \u201cMellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness\u201d and will mark its 30th anniversary. Founder, frontman and Grammy<\/a> winner Billy Corgan has joined forces with his hometown\u2019s opera company to create a new sonic and visual experience. His wife Chloe Mendel runs the House of Gilles with her father Gilles and the duo have created the wardrobe for the four performers and Morgan.<\/p>\n

Adding another dimension to the creativity, the daughter-father duo are collaborating with Simon Ungless, whose career is linked to being a part of Lee Alexander McQueen\u2019s original team. Now based in Sausalito, Calif., Ungless has his own When Simon Met Ralph label and his Worn Wear Rehab can be found at Angelina Jolie\u2019s Atelier Jolie in New York<\/a> City\u2019s SoHo neighborhood.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The opera\u2019s male tenor and baritone performers will wear classic tailcoats and suits with a screen print of lace that has a transparent finish that makes it appear to be wet, or leather-like, depending on the vantage point. Each look has a strong shoulder and a dramatic elongated bow tie, cummerbund and one handcrafted rose motif for a lapel. <\/p>\n

\n\tHaving worked with dancers from the New York City Ballet<\/a> in the past, the House of Gilles\u2019 founders spoke excitedly about how the opera performers felt transformed during a recent try-on. The female soprano and alto performers will sport handcrafted pleated gowns that were made with metallic threads and embellished with flowers. Designed to magnify light and movement, the garments also show off the skills of House of Gilles\u2019 atelier.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While the performers won\u2019t be wearing costumes in the traditional sense, Chloe Mendel said it was initially a little challenging deciding how to tell the story about Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness, while celebrating the individual singers and relaying refinement, beauty, and timelessness. <\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cBilly gave us a few words, and we had to run with that \u2014 \u2018David Bowie, Art Deco, and pre-Berlin 1930s.\u2019 He was like, \u2018Watch some movies like Weimar Republic [that are set in Berlin,]\u2019\u201d she said. \u201cIt was more confusing than not, so we had to integrate it all. Basically, it was the compilation of this fantasy. In the end, everything is a fantasy for Billy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over time, Gilles Mendel said they leaned toward bringing a more of-the-moment modernity to a rock star in a classical environment.\u00a0He and his daughter first collaborated with Ungless two years ago to create priestly-type robes for Corgan\u2019s concert performances.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ungless said Thursday that what he found most\u00a0exciting\u00a0was being\u00a0exposed to Mendel\u2019s womenswear work that is created in the New York<\/a> atelier. <\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cTruly excited about the quality and attention to detail that he puts into his work,\u201d he said. \u201cIt feels like a good match to me, similar to when I worked with Lee McQueen. Very few people these days work in such a refined way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eager to do more collaborations like the opera one, Chloe Mendel said, \u201cFirst and foremost, we are a couture house. We are art-driven. We can really show how our ability can translate into different art and performance, and how creative we are. Creativity can also be flexible. It can be in a lot of different areas. That\u2019s why we started this brand \u2014 to do things that we love and that are outside of the box and are inspiring.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Billy<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tPhotos of the Smashing Pumpkins founder Billy Corgan wearing the limited-edition T-shirt and hoodie.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto Courtesy House of Gilles<\/p>\n

\n\tAs an ode to the performance, the House of Gilles will be launching limited-edition hand-painted hoodies and T-shirts, and a handmade brooch, on Friday that will be sold at the opera and on the House of Gilles\u2019 site. The T-shirts will retail for $275, hoodies will sell for $350 and the handmade brooch will cost $350, too. There will be 25 T-shirts and 25 hoodies, which are each different and carry custom prints that Ungless cooked up.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For Friday night\u2019s opener, Morgan will enlist the talents of some guest artists to join the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and a 25-person choir in the new experience. James Lowe has done the arrangements and orchestrations with Corgan for the two-hour performance that runs through Dec. 30. The Mendels will join other creatives, who are involved with the performance, for what is known in opera circles as the \u201cpenguin bow.\u201d Years ago that consisted primarily of men in tuxedos \u2014 hence, the name.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Chloe Mendel said, \u201cWhen you get to work with the top artists and performers in any industry, it\u2019s so inspiring and exciting. I really hope that we can do more of this \u2013 whatever it takes,\u201d she said, adding that opera goers are lovers of the arts and they appreciate not just the music, but the set, the costumes and Moore for a full 360-degree experience.<\/p>\n

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