STEPPING OUT: J.M. Weston held a back-to-school celebration on Thursday by gathering friends of the French heritage brand for a dance class.

The event was held on the barracks of the Garde Républicaine, the regiment whose origins date to Napoléon Bonaparte. Weston has been making made-to-measure boots for its cavalry division for the reason that ‘70s, and is preparing to launch women’s boots inspired by the equestrian designs.

Under a blustery sky, guests assembled in a courtyard where a tent was arrange for the evening’s Bal Weston: a possibility for participants to learn dance steps directly from leading choreographers Mathilde Monnier, La Ribot and Asha Thomas.

“I wanted to present you something that cash can’t buy,” said Olivier Saillard, artistic, image and culture director of J.M. Weston. A fan of latest dance, he’d been planning a dance party since before the coronavirus pandemic and liked the concept of individuals leaving with some recent steps of their repertoire.

“For instance, I regret never having been in a position to learn the steps of Pina Bausch or Merce Cunningham, or Loïe Fuller or Isadora Duncan. Dance is something that may’t be sold, it’s something that’s passed down,” he told WWD.

Just half an hour into the event, news of the death of Queen Elizabeth II spread through the group. Nonetheless, several dozen guests gamely lined up for the primary tutorial by Monnier, to the sounds of the camp French dance track “Louxor J’Adore” by Philippe Katerine.

“Now let’s be clear: we’re all amateurs and all you should dance is enthusiasm. We’re not talking about acting at the Paris Opera on tiptoes in ballet shoes,” Saillard said. “You might have to be very relaxed and just plan to smile through the evening, whether it rains or not.”

Speaking before the news of the queen’s death broke, Saillard said he desired to offer people a moment of levity to counter the regular weight-reduction plan of negative headlines this fall.

“The world is anxiety-inducing, but in case you take into consideration nothing else, I’m afraid we’ll be dancing on embers for the subsequent 50 years. I’m apprehensive concerning the world. I feel it’s very alarming. Sometimes, I ponder what sort of role fashion can play in such a context,” he mused. “Nevertheless, even in times of war, you might have to boost your head and check out to seek out hope.”