New visions for Nutcracker 2025 — costumes that transform the stage into pure magic.
Bring the Nutcracker Party Scene to life with custom-made Nutcracker costumes designed for elegance, movement, and stage magic.
The Nutcracker ballet has been enchanting audiences for more than a century, and each year it continues to evolve through fresh interpretations, bold productions, and, most importantly, imaginative costuming. At Pegeen, designing Nutcracker costumes is not just part of what we do—it’s at the very heart of our creative expression. For the 2025 season, we couldn’t help ourselves. The sketches kept flowing, the fabric swatches kept piling up, and the ideas simply wouldn’t stop. Before we knew it, four breathtaking new costumes had come to life: the commanding Mouse King, the valiant Nutcracker, the ethereal Snow Queen, and the vibrant Waltz of the Flowers ensemble.
This year’s designs take a bold step forward. They merge timeless tradition with inventive details, bringing performers and audiences alike deeper into the magic of Tchaikovsky’s world. Each piece has been created not simply as a garment but as an integral part of the storytelling, designed to move, shine, and transform under the stage lights.
The Mouse King: A Villain Worthy of the Stage
Every great story needs its antagonist, and in the Nutcracker, few characters leave as strong an impression as the Mouse King. For 2025, we set out to reimagine this figure with fresh intensity. Too often, the Mouse King is presented in simple grey and brown—functional but not transformative. We asked ourselves: what if the Mouse King was as commanding and visually complex as any royal courtier?
The result is a costume that pairs strength with style. We’ve layered deep velvet tones—midnight purple, stormy charcoal, and rich garnet—with metallic accents that shimmer like armour under the stage lights. A structured bodice and tailored jacket give the King a regal silhouette, while sculpted pauldrons and a flowing cape add theatrical flair. Our favourite detail is the gilded crown-like headpiece, a hybrid of rodent ears and royal regalia, designed to glisten even in the most dramatic battle scene.
But movement is just as important as appearance. We built this costume to allow for athletic choreography—leaps, lunges, and swordplay. The fabrics were chosen for durability and stretch, the structure carefully balanced so that no dancer feels burdened. It’s the Mouse King as he was meant to be: fearsome, dynamic, and unforgettable.
The Nutcracker: Heroism Embodied
Standing opposite the Mouse King is the Nutcracker himself, a character who has always embodied bravery, innocence, and transformation. Our 2025 Nutcracker design brings out all three qualities.
We began with the traditional soldier aesthetic—regal reds, crisp whites, and shining gold trim—but gave it a modern lift. The jacket is finely tailored with gold frogging and crystal buttons, structured enough to feel authoritative but light enough for a young dancer to move freely. The trousers taper neatly into tall white boots, which gleam with a satin finish under the stage lights. Across the chest runs a bold diagonal sash, its edge finished with metallic embroidery that reflects the light like polished brass.
One detail we’re especially proud of is the Nutcracker’s hat. Rather than a rigid top-heavy shape, which often causes difficulty for young performers, we designed a lightweight, crown-like headpiece with a stylized nutcracker motif. It’s both symbolic and comfortable, staying secure even during spins and jumps.
The Nutcracker is the heart of the story—the character who springs to life and sets the adventure in motion. This costume embodies that moment of transformation, carrying just enough whimsy to delight children while still maintaining the grandeur a ballet of this scale deserves.
The Snow Queen: Ethereal Elegance in Motion
If the Mouse King represents menace and the Nutcracker represents courage, then the Snow Queen embodies sheer enchantment. Her entrance in Act II has always been one of the ballet’s most magical moments, and for 2025, we wanted her gown to feel like the choreography itself: fluid, shimmering, and alive with winter’s beauty.
The bodice is crafted in a luminous silvery-blue silk that catches every glimmer of light. From the waist, layers of chiffon cascade outward in frosted tones of icy, pale blue—creating a skirt that seems to float. Along the hem, we’ve sewn petal-like shapes edged in soft gold thread. As the dancer moves, these petals ripple, resembling delicate snowflakes carried by a breeze.
The sleeve puffs are sheer, with subtle crystal embellishments that sparkle like frost. Around the neckline, a collar of tiny pearls and beads radiates upward like a frozen crown. But the most striking element is the translucent panel of chiffon that trails just behind the dancer, catching every flick of motion and amplifying the sense of drifting snow.
We designed this piece to move as beautifully as it photographs. In rehearsal lighting, it’s soft and subtle. On stage, with the orchestra swelling beneath, it becomes transformative—turning the dancer into the embodiment of winter’s grace.
Waltz of the Flowers: A Symphony of Pastel Petals
The Waltz of the Flowers is one of the most beloved sequences in all of ballet, a burst of colour and life after the icy splendour of the Snow Scene. For 2025, our approach was simple: if the Snow Queen is crystalline elegance, then the Flowers must be radiant abundance.
We began with ombré chiffon, dyed in pastel gradients—rose pink blending into peach, lavender fading into sky blue, mint flowing into pale yellow. Each skirt is layered with multiple panels of chiffon, cut at differing lengths so that the fabric sways and overlaps like blooming petals. No two costumes are exactly alike, ensuring that when the corps de ballet performs together, the stage blossoms with variety.
The bodices are corset-style, covered in green silk shades with OPTIONAL delicate floral embroidery. The gold trimmed chiffon catches the light, creating the effect of morning dew glistening on petals. Each costumes specifically is allowing a touch of individuality for each performer completing the look, unifying the dancers as a living bouquet.
Movement was again key. The skirts are feather-light, designed to whirl outward with every turn, creating waves of pastel colour across the stage. In rehearsal, watching the dancers move in these costumes was breathtaking; under full theatre lights, we know it will be nothing short of magical.
Designing for Storytelling
What connects these four new costumes—the Mouse King, the Nutcracker, the Snow Queen, and the Waltz of the Flowers—is our commitment to storytelling. Each garment is not simply clothing, but a character in itself. The Mouse King must radiate menace, the Nutcracker must shine with heroism, the Snow Queen must embody enchantment, and the Flowers must burst with joy.
Every fabric, colour, and stitch was chosen with that narrative in mind. And because we work closely with theatres, schools, and ballet companies, we understand that costumes must be practical as well as beautiful. These designs are made for performance: durable enough for a full season of shows, flexible enough for demanding choreography, and beautiful enough to take the audience’s breath away night after night.
Looking Ahead to Nutcracker 2025
Nutcracker season has always been special at Pegeen. It’s a time when our studio fills with silk swatches, sequins, and sketches; when our conversations revolve around stage lighting and choreography; when we imagine how audiences will react as the curtain rises. This year, we’re especially excited. These new designs mark a fresh chapter, blending tradition with innovation in a way that feels true to the Nutcracker’s enduring spirit.
As we head toward the 2025 season, we can’t wait to see these costumes come to life on stage. The Mouse King will storm onto the scene, the Nutcracker will defend Clara with bravery, the Snow Queen will dance her glistening solo, and the Flowers will whirl in a garden of pastel wonder. Together, they will transport audiences into a world where magic is real, courage triumphs, and beauty is everlasting.
