Zac Posen is bringing GapStudio to the ballet stage, with the Gap Inc. executive vice president and creative director tapped to reimagine costumes for Miami City Ballet’s upcoming presentation of Jerome Robbins’ N.Y. Export: Opus Jazz.
Zac Posen brings Gap’s American style to Miami City Ballet. – GapStudio
Commissioned by The Robbins Rights Trust and Miami City Ballet, the project is expected to mark the first authorized redesign of the iconic ballet’s original costumes for the stage. The production premieres October 16 as part of Miami City Ballet’s American Rhythms program.
First performed in 1958, N.Y. Export: Opus Jazz broke from traditional ballet conventions with dancers performing in tights, colourful tops and sneakers. Robbins’ choreography drew on jazz, the energy of American youth and the streets of New York City, creating a work that reflected the culture of its time.
Nearly seven decades later, Posen’s costumes reinterpret that original language through GapStudio, the highest creative expression of the Gap brand. The wardrobe draws from Gap’s Fall 2026 collection and incorporates familiar American wardrobe staples including denim, T-shirts, button-down shirts, hoodies and relaxed trousers.
Each of the 16 dancers will receive an individual look while remaining part of a cohesive visual identity. The GapStudio pieces were adapted specifically for the stage, including the use of Infinity Stretch denim and modified construction to accommodate the movement required by Robbins’ choreography.
The colour palette draws inspiration from Henri Matisse’s Jazz series, combining streetwear-inspired shades of denim, black and neutrals with saturated colours reflecting Miami’s vibrancy. The production concludes with the full cast wearing white T-shirts and sneakers, referencing Robbins’ original costumes while emphasizing themes of individuality and unity.
“Jerome Robbins called it ‘a ballet in sneakers.’ There was something incredibly modern about his vision of dancers in T-shirts and sneakers, capturing the energy and individuality of young people in New York City. That is the Gap vocabulary. Our ads have always danced,” said Zac Posen, executive vice president and creative director of Gap Inc.
“To be invited to reimagine the costumes for such an iconic work, while honoring the radical spirit of Robbins’ original vision with the Miami City Ballet, is incredibly meaningful to me.”
The fashion-and-dance collaboration extends beyond the stage through a campaign directed by two-time Emmy Award winner Ezra Hurwitz. Shot in Miami, the campaign features Miami City Ballet dancers in Posen’s costumes and explores the relationship between movement and self-expression.
“We’re thrilled to have GapStudio bring a new vision to the costuming for N.Y. Export: Opus Jazz,” said Miami City Ballet artistic director Gonzalo Garcia. “Zac’s vibrant, playful designs are a perfect match for the youthful energy, individuality, and unmistakable spirit of Robbins’ ballet.”
