Robert Cary-Williams dresses ballerinas

London designer Robert Cary-Williams, known for his distressed silhouettes and rough edges, has designed the costumes for the ballet "Curious Conscience," which is being performed at London's Sadler's Wells Theatre by the Rambert Dance Company.

The production, choreographed by Rafael Bonachela, is set to Benjamin Britten's "Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings," which was inspired by the work of six English poets. For the women's costumes, Cary-Williams used fireworks to burn holes in wet chiffon and then used Indian embroidery around the holes.

"I wanted the dresses to have an accidental beauty," he said, adding that other costumes are little black dresses inspired by Degas' ballerinas.

Cary-Williams, who in the past has dressed crooners including Ronnie Wood and Marianne Faithfull, said he's learned one valuable lesson designing the dancers' costumes: "I can't take over the show," he said. "I can't upstage the dancers, and I have to make sure those clothes move." "Curious Conscience" runs until Thursday.