For years, fashion has proved to us that movement and design are not separate but in fact, can co-exist beautifully. Garments become no longer just functional, but now are imagined and designed with artistry and taste. This philosophy is at the heart of Just A Corpse, the fashion brand founded by Slovenian designer Uroš Belantič and model Valerija Kelava. Their pieces exist in the space between ballet and streetwear, between discipline and freedom. They frame the body, as they say, “from the barre to the bar.”
Every one of them, from their leotards to their tutus, is designed with the precision of sportswear but with the “emotional resonance of high fashion.” A mix between the world of classical ballet and the rhythm of the streets allows the locally manufactured and recycled fabric pieces to “effortlessly transition from rehearsal to real life.” The result is clothing that moves with the wearer, whether that’s in ballet class or in the city.
This contrast is what Paris-based photographer Luke Paige saw and felt when he first encountered Just A Corpse years ago. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with them for years, and it’s been a bit like a beautiful, chaotic dance.” The Slovenian photographer was drawn to the brand’s risk-taking spirit, its ability to exist in two worlds at once. “I simply loved their idea and what they were after. It was different in a very exciting way, and that’s what I believe in as well.”
This long-standing creative relationship is what now leads to a new collaboration, a series that reimagines Just A Corpse beyond the ballet studio. Through Paige’s lens, ballet is stripped of its usual softness and pastel tones and placed in a darker, moodier world. Shadows replace pastels. Strength replaces fragility. The result is a collection of images that break away from tradition, pushing the pieces “beyond the confines of ballet” and “creating a fluid dialogue between performance and street style.”
