Halle Bailey performed “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid during American Idol‘s Disney Night on May 14 at Disneyland in California. The singer and actress who plays Ariel in the movie tapped emerging designer Michael Fausto to help create the fantastical moment, which happened to be the first time she sang the tune live since filming.
Fausto looked to the iconic “Part of Your World (Reprise)” scene – you know, the one in which Ariel is singing on the rocks with the waves crashing behind her – for inspiration when designing the custom-made “Aphrodite Gown,” according to a release. The stunning piece is made from lustrous Italian silk zibeline in an exuberant oceanic blue. Dramatic scallop shell draping enveloped Halle and cascaded into a trumpet silhouette and grandiose platform to mimic breaking swells as she sang about fitting into the human world. The entire moment was a collaboration between Fausto, stylist Nichole Good, and the creative teams at Disney.
The fashion designer, who has also worked with Laverne Cox and Mj Rodriguez, also collaborated closely with Disney’s creative team to design the fantastical set that drew focus to Halle and the mermaid-like gown with the illuminated Sleeping Beauty Castle as the backdrop.
Be sure to keep an eye on The Little Mermaid press tour for more of Halle Bailey in Michael Fausto’s designs. The film will be released in theaters on May 26. See Halle’s performance below.
