Circa 2008, I wanted a butterfly tattoo inked on the small of my back (thank you, Mariah Carey). I also wanted a belly button piercing, embellished with a butterfly barbell. Niche? Perhaps. But I was part of a flock of Y2K butterfly enthusiasts whose ardour for the insect matched – or trumped – my own. More than a decade on, fashion’s current obsession with all things nostalgic has seen the rise of a new-age butterfly following, made up of the Gen Zers who scour Depop for Noughties trends – the good, the bad and the ugly.
The late, great Alexander McQueen’s runways were scattered with butterflies (take his spring/summer 2008 La Dame Bleue show, for example). Metamorphosis was at the heart of his ethos, and that spirit of transformation remains central to the house under his successor Sarah Burton. Moschino, Valentino and Givenchy have all also explored the butterfly motif. Luxury fashion aside, the butterfly’s undeniable kitsch factor today resonates with a youthful, TikTok audience. Think temporary tattoos and rhinestone embellishments, as opposed to lifelike interpretations.
Y2K poster girl Dua Lipa is a major fan of the throwback motif. “Only butterfly energy in 2021”, the pop star declared on Instagram at the end of last year. Her profile picture on the platform shows the light from a turquoise butterfly projection falling across her face.
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They’ve fluttered into her wardrobe, too. Shortly after her birthday in August, the singer posed on a staircase wearing bleached Eytys jeans, a denim butterfly-adorned top by Yung Reaper (she also owns bubblegum-pink butterfly separates from the brand), and wraparound tinted Kaleos sunglasses.
At the 2021 Grammys, Dua chose butterflies once again, sporting a shimmering, crystal-encrusted Versace gown that was reminiscent of a Versace dress worn by Naomi Campbell in the late ’90s, and a similar style worn by Christina Aguilera at the Grammys in 2000. She’s also been wearing Versace’s butterfly patterned robe.
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Dua’s style twin and potential future sister-in-law Bella Hadid is another butterfly fan. The model’s Instagram bio features a butterfly emoji, and recent outfits have hinted at her obsession. Take the holiday snap that showed her wearing a cut-out bodysuit from Marshall Columbia, vibrant butterfly hair clips, and a sculptural butterfly ring by Georgina Trevino – or the time she wore look 21 from Blumarine’s butterfly-inspired resort 2022 show. (“The butterfly is becoming a sort of new Blumarine logo,” creative director Nicola Brognano previously told Vogue. “Versace has the Medusa; we have the butterfly.”)
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Butterfly filters – specifically one created by Sophie Katirai – were all over IG last summer. The filter – adopted by Kylie Jenner, Hailey Bieber and Winnie Harlow, to name a few – was inspired by Katirai’s fascination with the creatures. She previously told Vogue: “I feel butterflies are like living bows, and add so much beauty anywhere they are placed.” Olivia Rodrigo, rising pop star, also indulges in this fantastic universe, between visuals created by the artist Lissyelle Laricchia and Y2K outfits (we remember in particular her custom-made Blumarine dress worn at the Grammys after-party, where a butterfly was grafted at the bottom of an ultra-plunging neckline, similar to Paris Hilton's one in 2002).
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Ariana Grande, Queen Latifah and Harry Styles presumably feel the same – all three have butterfly tattoos. Billy Porter, meanwhile, celebrated them in temporary tattoo form at the 2020 Critics’ Choice Awards. He later wrote of his his mesmerising body art: “The hand-painted butterfly tattoos by @heyannabee continue my theme for 2020, which is being released from the bondage of masculinity and flying free.”
How to wear the trend this summer?
While the beautiful days are back, butterflies are also back in force in our fashion desires. Discover our selection of pieces to try this ultra-viral trend.
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