Great Outfits in Fashion History: Keri Russell in a Johanna Ortiz Mini Dress

A memorable look from the 2017 New York City Ballet Fall Fashion Gala.

Keri Russell in Johanna Ortiz at the New York City Ballet’s 2017 Fall Fashion Gala.
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

There are perfectly good celebrity style moments, and then there are the looks that really stick with you, the ones you try desperately to recreate at home. In ‘Great Outfits in Fashion History,’ Fashionista editors are revisiting their all-time favorite lewks.

The New York City Ballet Fall Gala is where all my interests collide: dance, high fashion and Sarah Jessica Parker. Despite a red carpet packed with couture-like trains courtesy of designers like Valentino and Oscar de la Renta, there’s a true focus on emerging talent — both in fashion and in dance — that the annual rendezvous brings, separating it from other gatherings of celebrities and those with unimaginable wealth.

Over the years, attendees at this unstuffy gala have worn several looks that I think about frequently, and while most of them came from the “Sex and The City” lead, Keri Russell wore a one-shoulder mini dress by Johanna Ortiz in 2017 that’s high on my list. The ruffled asymmetrical dress boasts the playfulness and sexiness of a Cha Cha, but its structural beauty has an unmistakable romantic sway about it that makes it the perfect embodiment of ballet.

To mark the glorious and long-awaited return of live performances by the New York City Ballet, shop a selection of pieces inspired by Russell’s 2017 gala look.