15 Years of 'Black Swan': How the Natalie Portman Film Set the Tone for Balletcore

Before there was coquette, sneakerinas, and balletcore, there was Black Swan— the 2010 psychological thriller starring Natalie Portman that ushered in a new era of ballet aesthetics. As the Darren Aronofsky film marks its 15th anniversary, its influence still pirouettes through pop culture and celebrity style, thanks to its entrancing choreography of hyper-femininity and dark, subversive glamour.

Its original impact on the runways seemed instant. Nicholas Ghesquiere, then designing for Balenciaga, showed black-and-white evening jackets that mirrored the film’s final looks. Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy leaned into gothic romanticism, creating feathered accents and moody palettes that felt like an indirect nod to the story’s darker moments. And Giambattista Valli’s tulle confections looked