Fashion, Symbols and Butterflying

A butterfly, though being trivially graceful and perfect, is one of the most distinctive symbols of both external and internal drama. What unusual dilemmas, problems and reflections occur while being in an unusual human and butterfly companionship which is very fragile, sensitive, impossible, temporary, but still protracted and bringing ideas?... Why, in the beginning of winter, do I want to spread and raise my wings so often? Why does the colorful butterfly settle down in our room only then? Why do we sometimes want to wear clothes that are decorated with butterflies? The recent experience, when the butterfly proudly lived with us last week, was exciting. After all the butterfly is a prophet of changes and transformation. Sometimes it takes a long time to realize the meaning of things, as they seem banal at the first sight…

However, the butterfly has never been my most favorite symbol. It has seemed naive to me. It used to amaze me how this creature was perceived by the fashion designers and fashion photographers Tim Walker, Ryan McGinley, Adam Goodison, Luly Yang, Badgley Mischka, Alexander McQueen. What is the butterfly’s role in fashion and fashion photography?

Butterflies usually appear in summer collections, in the winter season they are too unusual, distant, appear as strangers. When seeing a butterfly in winter, one is overwhelmed by joyful amazement and  gentle feelings - seeing quite a rare contrast draws attention whether you like it or not. Clothes with butterflies motives are usually being worn by women. Are transformations, joy of life, changeability unusual for men? Is this symbol too gentle for them? However, in the jewelry collection by Alexander McQueen symbols of butterfly and skull are combined, these symbols are completely contradictory, linking images of life and death, power, superiority and fragility, these also prove that controversial images combine, seem innovative and striking.

By the way, these days, even professional photographers do not hesitate to snap photos with the phone (#DIESELTRIBUTE campaign by Nick Knight using an iPhone). In my opinion, it is a great idea. I started this project using my phone camera and could not stop. I think it perfectly reflects the beauty of the moment, shows simplicity and naturality of the daily moments, it is almost equal to the gaze at an interesting object and then attention suddenly slides elsewhere again. There is no better choice of taking photos of a butterfly with the phone - a butterfly lands and glides again. It is complicated to catch such a model! In that way, these photos reflect the part of everyday transformations well, which are poorly noticeable, which we lack time to watch closer longer when grabbing our professional equipment.