Black and white tutu skirts are made from specialist tutu net, as supplied to The Royal Ballet. It has the essential stiffness required, combined with lightness and durabilty. For coloured tutus, nets may be imported from America, (although more recently UK nets have become available). These are the same quality as used by the major American companies such as ABT. Lighter weight nets can also be used effectively - this increases possible colour choices to forty or more. (See "The Fairy of Grace" (hooped) and the "Lilac Fairy"(un-hooped) on the Index - both use soft nets.

As well as working with professional performers, I have trained to an advanced level of ballet (BBO, RAD & ISTD, Morley College) and therefore thoroughly understand the rigours and punishments costumes have to survive. I realise where they need to stretch and recover, where allowances for expansion are needed and how to prevent any hindrances to spine, leg and arm movement.

Pratice tutu (basque and skirts only) - £300 Undecorated classical tutu with bodice piping and light boning - £350 to £500 (Click on "Basic Classical Tutu" on Index Page). Fully decorated classical tutu - £390 to £700 ( Click on "Bluebird/ Princess Florine" and "Raymonda" tutus on Index page).

Above prices are averages: requests for special fabrics, eg. lace top skirts can increase the price.  Please contact for a quote.

All costumes are individually ordered, designed and made-to-measure to the highest professional standards. The tutus shown on this site are only a guide to what is possible. You are only limited by your imagination!

As an exception to the Made-to Measure rule, I do plan to prepare a stock of ready-made tutus towards the end of 2008 in anticipation of 2009's All England Competition. I tend to find that finalists in this competition only start to look for their costume at the last minute; they all do so at once, and inevitably I have to disappoint some requests. As most young girls who reach a certain level within amateur competitions (and or entrance to the major vocational schools) tend towards a certain body-type, I think it will be worthwhile constructing a quantity of tutus in advance. I retain all my prototype tutus and have, for instance, "Age 11, White Lodge" shape, "Age 15 Arts Ed shape", "Age 16 Elmhurst shape" etc. They will be shown on this site as soon as they are available. It will still be necessary to visit to try the costume on.

Designer's Notes

As a dancer's mother wrote a cheque for a tutu recently, she couldn't resist saying "it's a lot of money, isn't it..." Which left me wondering if she really knew what she was paying for? Perhaps she hadn't read the Tutu FAQ on this site.. perhaps I hadn't explained sufficiently what she would "get for her money"?

I was VERY VERY fortunate to be taught by the very best - Marjorie Rogers made Fonteyn's costumes; Jane Johnson, Jane Cowood, Sue Pearl, Jean Gates, Christine Manning and Mervyn Wallace were all my tutors or employers and are considered to be "the best in the business". You only have to look in the production notes in a Royal Ballet or Birmingham Royal Ballet programme to find their names.

They taught me from scratch, or gave me my first jobs. I have odd memories of the peculiar experience of travelling all the way from Arsenal to Wimbledon by tube with a couple of "Sugar Plum" tutus in the ever-favoured see-through Royal Opera House plastic bags. Trying not to be noticed in the crowd on the train, yet secretly, so proud!

From my training, I can reproduce most ladies costumes, as seen on the stage of the Royal Opera House or similar: from tutus to headresses and jewellery, to the period costumes of the courtiers. I know where to source most of the fabrics they are made from and the trims they are decorated with. I know the trade techniques and the specialist trade suppliers. This is a specialised craft, not mere dress-making, and it is all the specific "trade secrets" that are part of professional tutu construction that I am offering you! Sadly, except for the occasional order for particular productions, few people ask for this!

I'm starting to realise that many young dancers (and worse, their teachers!), see very few actual ballets live. (or even on DVD). This becomes very clear when I try to discover what they want for their competition tutu. It is puzzling how children are expected to perform when they do not see performances themselves. We canot talk in terms of Auroras versus Kitris if the dancer has no idea what I am talking about. Too often this combines with a sadly uninspired wish to "play it safe". Young girls frequently worry far more about how their tutu might look up close to the fellow competitors in the dressing room, rather than considering how it will appear to the judges when they are on stage. ("Those sequins are too large, can I have small ones"..!)

I am offering you the possibility to have virtually any tutu with any decoration. Do take the time before you visit to consider what you would like to have. Try to think beyond purely one flat colour. Consider the bodice decoration, skirt decoration, hip decoration. I will give you a run-down prior to the visit of net colours in stock if you need a short notice costume. If nothing on this web-site is appropriate - even as a starting point, do take the time to look at magazines such as "Dancing Times" or "Pointe" for inspiration; at web-sites such as Ballet.co Galleries.

On various ballet or sewing web-sites and forums I often come across queries such as, "Does anyone know of a simple tutu pattern/ instructions for how to make a tutu for someone who is inexperienced at sewing?" This says so much about the lack of appreciation of what it takes to make a professional quality tutu properly. My problem is, if I really explained what it takes, I'm basically telling you how to make one and, whoops! There goes my day job! I'm sorry if this sounds mean - my natural tendancy is to "explain how" (I think I would love to teach), but the facts are, I spent years training. I fought to get on that initial costume course (one in seven applicants were accepted). If someone had told me then that you need to make a minimum of ten tutus before you start to figure out what really works.....! I challenge you to challenge me to do my best possible work - for you.