Butterfly as an icon: from Elsa Schiaparelli to the 2000s
There butterfly over time it has been associated with metamorphosis and rebirth, an eternal symbol, fragile and at the same time powerful. Indeed, it is no coincidence that butterflies fascinate such surrealist artists as Salvador Dali, which presents them in a fabulous way. The first to bring them into the fashion world was Elsa Schiaparellistylist and great friend of Salvador Dali, who in 1937 created a butterfly print for a summer dress.
Feel at home in your own body, according to Giulia Peditto.
Decades later, the singer Cheraccustomed to experimenting in a full avant-garde spirit, chooses a butterfly-themed look for the 1974 Grammy Awards, unaware at the time that almost thirty years later it would become a cult look. The charm of butterflies has captivated the greatest designers over time: from Alexander McQueenwho, to pay tribute to her late friend and supporter Isabella Blow, created a headdress made of butterflies (a symbol for the eclectic headdresses Blow loved to wear) in Thierry Mugleralways fascinated by the process of metamorphosis, which in the 1997 collection Le Insects, creates the iconic bow tie dress worn by Jerry Hall and, more recently, Irina Shayk during an exhibition. Very couturierdedicated to the work of a stylist. In 1999 it was the turn Versace: for the spring/summer collection, the brand creates a sparkling dress with a butterfly embellishment that frames the bust and repeats on the hips: the design wins over Christina Aguilera, who wore it to the Grammy Awards this year, and supermodel Naomi Campbell, photographed in a Versace creation with Kate Moss. And if before that butterflies appeared on clothes, accessories and prints, then in the early 2000s the now famous Butterfly tops. Mariah Carey Grab attention with a shimmery butterfly micro top created by Emmanuel Ungaro for the event “VH1 Divas 2000: Tribute to Diana Ross”. An iconic design that is now unavailable in any vintage retailer.
(get images)
The latest collections bring butterflies back to the catwalk, and IT girls do not lose sight of the trend.
With the return of 2000s style, brands have brought back iconic garments from the turn of the millennium, and the bow tie top could not be missing among them. The first to start this trend is Nicola Brognano as Artistic Director Blumarin: For S/S 2022, Blumarine wanted to pay homage to the butterflies on accessories, cardigans and the iconic micro top. Brognano wanted to focus specifically on a butterfly symbol, such as the jellyfish for Versace, to make the brand recognizable when it was relaunched. Following the trend of butterflies in the latest collections, brands of caliber Chanel, Dries Van Noten, Alberta Ferretti and especially Dior.which at the Cruise 2024 fashion show wanted to pay tribute to Frida Kahlo with butterflies located on bags, jackets, dresses and belts, and Versace, which for the collection “Holiday”designed by Donatella in collaboration with Dua Lipa, based on the motif with small butterflies. Among celebrities, Dua Lipa is the first big fan of this style: already in 2021, to celebrate her Grammy Award, the singer, beloved by generation Z (and not only), opted for the iconic 1999 Versace dress, and in many shots in social networks, she can be seen in the top with micro-butterflies.
(get images)
Has the Y2K trend captivated you too? Here’s How To Wear The Iconic Butterfly Top
If you too want to try on the trend for the summer festival or experiment even more with your look, we invite you to take a look at the different models on the market: from versions with Y2K sequin and rhinestone appliqués to denim or crochet models. And if you want to wear a bow-tie top even in autumn, why not pair it with an oversized shirt? Experimentation is up to you.