French classical wear dancing up a storm on the mainland

The expansion of ballet studios in China is encouraging French ballet clothes manufacturers to introduce their premium designs to a booming market with the help of local distributors.

Former professional ballet dancer Christophe Ridet recalls that his ballet wear company Wear Moi first started with the purchase of a sewing machine in Hong Kong in 1991, while he was on tour there with his wife.

When the French dancer retired a year later he decided to put the sewing machine to good use, to create customized ballet and musical-related clothes for his wife and other professional dancers.