With his chiselled features, insouciant stare and toned, tattooed torso, Sergei Polunin is undeniably model material. As the newly unveiled face of Pal Zileri's autumn/winter 2016 campaign, the man dubbed the bad boy of ballet has taken on the fashion industry in typically unconventional style.
The Ukrainian-born dancer originally trained at London's prestigious Royal Ballet School, impressing critics and winning countless accolades before sensationally quitting just two years after becoming the institution's youngest-ever principal dancer. His abrupt departure cemented Polunin's reputation as an enfant terrible but afforded him a much-yearned-for freedom from the highly pressurised and insular world of ballet.
Not one to do things by halves, Polunin's first creative venture after his ballet bow-out – a collaboration with acclaimed photographer-director David LaChapelle – became a viral hit. The four-minute music video saw Polunin wearing only flesh-coloured leggings and battered ballet pumps – his tattoos, normally concealed on stage, displayed in full glory – performing a powerful solo routine to Hozier's anthemic Take Me to Church. The video has been seen over 15 million times and showcased Polunin's extraordinary talent to a global audience.
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LaChapelle's film was intended to be Polunin's dance swansong, but its unprecedented success has seen him continue to perform professionally, albeit very much on his own terms. Most recently he danced alongside girlfriend and fellow ballet superstar Natalia Osipova at Sadler's Wells, while his latest fashion foray with Pal Zileri comes in the wake of a Marc Jacobs campaign, a surprise stint on the catwalk at the Ports 1961 show at Milan Fashion Week, and a joint photo shoot with Osipova for the April edition of British Vogue.
Casting Polunin in his latest campaign is a masterstroke from Pal Zileri creative director Mauro Ravizza Krieger, who has been steadily transforming the Italian fashion house since his appointment in 2014. "Avant-Craft", a new concept launched by the brand last year, is an ethos that embraces Pal Zileri's sartorial heritage with a thoroughly modern mindset.
The new-season looks, including jewel-coloured tailored pieces and luxe sportswear, are bold and contemporary with unexpected pizzazz. Polunin, with newfound confidence and comfortable in his own skin, is in so many ways a natural fit.
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