British dancer-turned-designer and artistic director Harris says many late nights were spent dreaming up and developing the sets and characters and it was a joy to know Aotearoa audiences will soon see them again.

“I wanted it to be set in a traditional fairy tale world and be as classical and magical as possible, and all the sets and costumes were created in New Zealand with some incredible makers,” he says.

“Wētā Workshop made the original pussy cat heads, and Esther Lofley, who worked in wardrobe at the time, made hundreds and hundreds of silk leaves to sew on to the nymphs. They were beautiful.”

As for his fondest memory of working on the production, Harris says it was the delightful mess of the dye room. “I spent most of the time in there, dyeing fabrics, painting, spraying and glueing. By the time I left it looked like a giant paint bomb had gone off.”

Following its success with the RNZB in 2011, Horsman’s production travelled across the Tasman after the choreographer joined Queensland Ballet in 2012. Since then, it has been staged there several times to widespread critical and audience acclaim, cementing its reputation as a beloved contemporary interpretation of the enduring classic.

With great popularity, however, comes much wear (and tear) of Harris’ original costumes, yet RNZB head of costume Donna Jefferis says this is just one reason the 510 pieces required significant work.

“As the years have gone by, we’ve adapted the way that we make costumes, and what they are made from,” she says. “Fifteen years ago, these pieces were made for specific dancers and then have travelled around Australia, and aren’t constructed in the way that we would approach things now.”

For instance, the original fairy bodices weren’t made with side seams, which the team now automatically include so pieces can be adjusted depending on who wears them.

“We also use a lot more stretch fabrics now, which makes life so much easier. Some of the tights from 15 years ago have such little stretch that the dancers can’t get them on.”

If you think several months is a long time to spend reworking and refurbishing existing costumes, it’s a considerable shortcut compared to starting from scratch.

“It’s pretty intense work when we create from scratch, and there is a lot of sampling and trialling involved,” Jefferis explains, adding that a fulltime team of almost six people, and extra part-timers, can take at least a year to produce costumes for a larger production like The Sleeping Beauty.

This is assuming you have enough talent to work on costuming, since large films or shows like the World of WearableArt can snap up talented artisans.

“We’re also dealing with the fact that young people aren’t training in the art of creating costumes so much anymore, and that even those who are keen to get into the business no longer have the opportunities. The repertory theatres in smaller cities and towns are rapidly disappearing, which used to serve as a training ground.”

The meticulous attention does not end once pieces are complete, either. Once touring begins, the costumes travel around the country in purpose-made wooden boxes, accompanied by Jessica Taunt, RNZB touring costume manager, her assistant, and multiple washing machines and clothes dryers.

Costume care is a daily process that takes many hours and includes ongoing maintenance, from repairs and laundry to pre-show set-up. Once the show is underway, the pair remain side stage with needles and thread to carry out repairs on the go.

“It’s a big job, and some of that final count of 510 includes underwear, earrings, tights and smaller headpieces,” says Taunt, who is also on hand for the pack out and pack away when the tour ends.

During that process, every piece must be checked, laundered, dry cleaned and carefully packed away before being transported to an Upper Hutt facility where the company stores costumes, sets and props. As it is not climate-controlled, the team must attempt to minimise the impact of heat and humidity on features such as zips and fasteners.

Taunt and her assistant also do double duty in the wings for every performance, helping with quick changes, the most challenging of which involves the four dancers playing the fairies.

“In this show there are four fairies, who at one point have exactly one minute to change entire outfits, and that includes several pieces of costume,” she explains. “They simply can’t do that without us. We allocate them 30 seconds each, and practice is essential as we definitely won’t get it right first time.

“In this job you definitely can’t be a chaotic person, but one that’s always cool under pressure, and it helps that the dancers are so used to just standing there and letting us do our work.”

Most dancers in The Sleeping Beauty only require standard stage makeup, which they apply themselves. Character makeup, used to transform a dancer’s face, is a whole other affair, but few characters in The Sleeping Beauty require this.

Back in London, Gary Harris is keeping as busy as a mid-show costume manager and his next project will be helping stage Kenneth MacMillan’s Mayerling with the Scottish Ballet in the new year. From the West End to Paris, Hong Kong to London, Harris’ career has taken him around the globe, yet RNZB’s The Sleeping Beauty holds a special place in his heart.

“I’m so thrilled this production is returning to New Zealand as I enjoyed every minute in the design and making of this extraordinary ballet.

“The love and care everyone put into every aspect of the work was, and is very special, so it’s fantastic to see it have another outing.”