Creepy Crawlies and Couture: Insect-Inspired Fashion Designer
Creepy Crawlies and Couture: Insect-Inspired Fashion
Fashion designers can get inspired by almost anything. In 2017, Givenchy released a nature inspired Spring Collection complete with dresses resembling agates, and each year Kate Spade releases animal-themed collections from flamingos and lobsters to hedgehogs and even dinosaurs. One fashion trend that’s sure to always be a showstopper are those pieces that either feature or are inspired by insects. Here are some top fashion brands and the ways that they’ve highlighted insects in their work. **Unfortunately, due to Copyright concerns, we are unable to share images of these branded items in our blog. However, we do highly recommend that you look up any of the items if you’re curious**
Gucci
This magnificent brand has used a variety of insects as highlights in their work over the years. Most notably, Gucci has released a series of purses, shoes, etc. adorned with ornamental bees. Along with these popular bee-themed items, Gucci has also utilized lady bugs, moths, and butterflies in a lot of their work.
Kate Spade
In addition to her animal-themed collections, the Kate Spade brand has also released its fair share of cute and fun insect purses and other accessories. Some of their adorable collections included pieces both patterned with and shaped like lady bugs, snails, beetles, bees, dragonflies, and butterflies.
Hermes
Originally released in 1937 and reissued again in 1959 was the stunning Les Insects Hermes Scarf. This beautiful silk scarf features a myriad of colorful insects dappled along a white background with a honeycomb pattern. Due to its long past release dates and limited-edition status, the scarf is now considered a very rare vintage collector’s item.
Louis Vuitton
A Louis Vuitton store in Kuala Lampur featured window art with what appeared to be insects but upon closer inspection were Louis Vuitton items such as bags, scarves, and straps shaping the ‘bugs.’ In addition to these unique works of art, complex “spider-webs” were also featured in the displays that all intricately contained the LV logos within their spiral shapes.
Prada
Back in 2013, Prada, one of the most well-known and revered fashion brands decided to collaborate with famed modern artist Damien Hirst in a once-in-a-lifetime project. The result? Purses with insects. However, these purses of top-tier couture were not simply adorned with decorations or images of insects. The five different bag designs were carefully designed with a plexiglass shell which contains real insects displayed in patters underneath. Each of the five designs were named after the different insects inhabiting the purses and the limited collection consists of only 20 bags total.
Insecta Mirabilis
In 2014, South African designer Hendrik Vermeulen released a collection he called “Insecta Mirabilis.” The collection was entirely inspired by the unique colors and patterns of insects. The shape of many pieces in the collection are reminiscent of the bodies, wings, and other features on pests. Vermeulen expertly crafted a balance of structured garments and flowing materials to simulate the bodies of the insects and the movement of their flight.
Citations
Crawly Couture (no date) Design Indaba. Available at: https://www.designindaba.com/articles/creative-work/crawly-couture (Accessed: August 6, 2021).
Kate Spade New York (no date) Kate Spade New York® Official Site – Designer Handbags, Clothing, Jewelry & More. Available at: https://www.katespade.com/ (Accessed: August 6, 2021).
Les insects Hermes Scarf 1959 reissued Hugo Grygkar (2019) It’s All Goode. Available at: https://www.vintage-hermes-scarf.com/product/les-insects-hermes-scarf-1959-reissued-hugo-grygkar/ (Accessed: August 6, 2021).
Louis Vuitton Spider web windows, Kuala Lumpur – Malaysia (2013) Retail Design Blog. Available at: https://retaildesignblog.net/2013/07/15/louis-vuitton-spider-web-windows-kuala-lumpur-malaysia/ (Accessed: August 6, 2021).
Miuccia Prada and Damien Hirst ‘Entomology’ collaboration (2013) Damien Hurst. Available at: https://www.damienhirst.com/news/2013/prada (Accessed: August 6, 2021).
Phelps, N. (2016) Givenchy spring 2017 Ready-to-wear collection, Vogue. Available at: https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2017-ready-to-wear/givenchy (Accessed: August 6, 2021).
When Prada Met Hirst (2013) Cosmopolitan. Available at: https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/fashion/news/a23488/damin-hirst-prada-insect-bag/ (Accessed: August 6, 2021).
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orchid mantis evolutionary research
The orchid mantis (Hymenopus coronatus) transitions from black-and-red to pink-white coloration during development, a shift driven by the Redboy pigment transporter. This transition serves different ecological functions: red coloration helps hatchlings mimic stink bugs for predator avoidance, while the pink-white coloration of older nymphs provides floral camouflage for both predator avoidance and prey attraction. The Redboy transporter, upregulated by ecdysone, facilitates this shift by exporting red pigments in early stages and importing white pigments in later stages.
Evolutionary Basis:
Redboy's Role:
The Redboy transporter, a novel ABCG transporter, arose by gene family expansion and positive selection, specifically to handle the transition from red to white coloration, according to research on Nature.
Hormonal Regulation:
The hormone ecdysone regulates Redboy, ensuring the pigment transition happens at the appropriate developmental stage, according to research on ResearchGate.
Genetic Adaptation:
The evolutionary changes in Redboy have allowed orchid mantises to adapt their body color to different life stages and ecological niches.
Ecological Functions:
Aposematic Mimicry (Hatchlings):
The initial black-and-red coloration serves as a warning signal, mimicking the appearance of stink bugs, which are known to be distasteful or toxic to predators.
Camouflage (Older Nymphs):
The pink-white coloration provides floral camouflage, helping the mantis blend in with flowers and avoid detection by predators.
Prey Attraction:
The flower-like appearance also attracts unsuspecting prey, such as small insects, to their location, enhancing the mantis's hunting success.
In summary, the orchid mantis's body color transition is a fascinating example of ontogenetic camouflage and adaptive evolution, where the color changes throughout the mantis's life serve distinct ecological roles in where the color changes throughout the mantis's life serve distinct ecological roles in predator avoidance and prey attraction.
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