Dong Hwa’s flower tattoo, inspired by Gucci floral scarves. dong hwa tattoo
In beauty, art and even tattoo design, flowers can be considered a true proverb. Look at the classic Gucci scarf the brand’s signature product is the Embroidered with Flowers and Petals.
It’s historic. It was Italian artist Vittorio Accornero who designed Gucci’s historical Flora print scarf in the 1960s, and that same vintage pattern is available for sale in the brand’s stores today. His signature “V. Accornero.”
Inspired by Princess Grace Kelly who inspired this scarf hurried into a Gucci shop A floral scarf was a popular gift idea for friends as a wedding gift in the 1960s. Rodolfo Gicci discovered that they didn’t own one and asked Accornero, an illustrator, to make it for them. This was in honor of Kelly, Princess of Monaco. Many of the scarves were reintroduced by Frida Gianni, Gucci’s designer.
NEW YORK – September 12: Jared Leto at the Vogue World fashion event in New York … [+]
But beyond your typical red rose, flower tattoos are seeing a renaissance this fall—and it isn’t just because Jared Leto wore a Gucci scarf-inspired look to the Vogue World runway show at New York Fashion Week.
This means that colorful ink is popular for everything, from blue roses to lilies and daffodils to sunflowers. Old botanical illustrations can be found in the 18Th The Gucci scarfs, which are a century old in design, were the core of inspiration for one tattoo artist who is specialized in tattoos with botanical themes.
“Flowers are beauty itself,” said Dong-hwa Kim, a tattoo artist and expert on the topic.
Kim draws inspiration from art history such as the Renaissance and Impressionism periods. This gives each piece a high-art, elevated edge. Kim uses old botanical illustrations that date back to 18Th Century as her inspiration for her tattoos.
Dong Hwa Tattoo: A bouquet of flowers tattoo
These pre-photographic ways of documenting the plant world were known as scientific designs. This botanic illustration is still appreciated today for its classic and timeless shapes.
“I always refer to old plant illustrations when I design,” said Kim. “The curves and vintage colors of nature are so impressive and are essentially timeless. And who does it better than Gucci?”
The original botanical illustration book dates back to a Greek botanist, Pedanius Diascorides. He published a book called De Materia Medica. It was more difficult to do so in the later 18th century. Maria Sibylla Merian, an artist from Germany, became a pioneer in this field by painting natural-history paintings of insects and plants.
Flos Pavonis. Source: Book Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium (1705). Private Collection Private Collection. … [+]Heritage Images via Getty Images
Another highly regarded botanic illustrator was Pierre-Joseph Redouté, a royal flower painter hired by Marie Antoinette, who painted the classic French rose.
Among the other botanic illustrative artists, Franz and Ferdinand Bauer were part of the golden age of natural history illustrations, around 1750, to Pierre Jean François Turpin, one of the masters of botanical watercolorists, as well as English artists Anne Pratt and Marianne North.
“Flowers are a suitable to be patterned, that’s why the botanical Gucci scarf has stayed in their collections for decades,” said Kim. “It can be a bold, big pattern, or a cute, smaller polka dot-like pattern. Either way, plants and palms are amazing motifs to work with as decorative design.”
Flowers by Dong Hya tattoo dong hwa tattoo
Kim has tattooed numerous unique flowers onto customers in the last few years. She said many people get birth flowers scheduled on their birthday or get tattoos of bouquets, by weaving together the birth flowers of certain family members—it’s like its own kind of special heirloom, and a private code, at that.
“That’s why there’s only one design in the world for that person, and their family,” said Kim. “I get a lot of requests like this, because it’s truly a bespoke tattoo designed for that family. It’s incredibly personal.”
The meaning of each flower tattoo ranges from symbolizing one’s birth flower (the flower assigned to one of the twelve months of the calendar year), to honoring those who have passed have come into the spotlight.
Beyond the Gucci scarf, flowers are still a strong symbol of fashion. Fendi, Christopher Kane and Hermes are luxury brands that have botany printed everything, from tailor suits to handbags and neckties.
Wallis, a smaller brand than others, uses botanical illustrations to make garments such as dresses. Julia Berolzheimer is constantly innovating new designs inspired by botanical fashion collabas.
Dong Hwa – A flower tattoo dong hwa tatto
“It seems like many brands are turning to botanical illustrations, and a variety of approaches by designers take us to a tropical paradise through silk fabrics and kaftans,” she said. “I think it comes back to a combination of the desire to pursue classical beauty and the desire to have an individual identity in a diversified world. In a uniformed society, maybe it’s a way to stand out.”
Kim, a tattoo artist, says that this autumn is all about roses and sunflowers. “Sunflowers symbolize a positive mind and sometimes they represent wealth,” said Kim. Roses are my favorite flower. It is the classic. But I’ve also tattooed peonies, lotus flowers, the iris, chrysanthemum, and cherry blossoms.”
Let’s face it, flowers and botany will never go out of style. That’s why they work as permanent ink. “Flowers have long been a symbol of beauty,” said Kim. “Looking back on classical beauty today has special meaning, it takes us back in time to appreciate beauty in its purest form.”
