So last month I stumbled down this fashion rabbit hole while binge-watching old Met Gala videos on my couch. That Ariana Grande butterfly dress from 2017 popped up – you know, the crazy huge pink one? Fell in love instantly. Grabbed my notebook right there.
First Stage: Research Mode
Figured I’d try recreating just the bodice part. Started digging like crazy. Found zero behind-the-scenes videos – total dead end. Googled “butterfly dress designer 2017” like fifty times. Finally hit gold: some forum mentioned this Ukrainian guy nobody’s heard of. Name didn’t ring any bells for me either.
The Hunt Got Messy
- Spent three whole nights scrolling Instagram hashtags
- Drank enough coffee to kill a horse
- Almost gave up when I found his profile – private account with like 500 followers
Sent a shot-in-the-dark DM: “Hey man, did you make Ariana’s giant butterfly thing?” Didn’t expect squat. But dude actually replied! Told me he basically worked in secret for months dodging Met Gala spies. Wild!
Recreating the Damn Thing
Bought ten yards of discount pink satin that looked close enough. Cut butterfly wings out of cardboard first for templates. My cat destroyed two immediately. Sewing the boning into the corset took five tries – kept poking myself bloody. Burned my thumb pressing the fabric twice.
When I finally slapped those wings on? Total disaster. They flopped sideways like a dying fish. Realized dude must’ve used industrial wiring. Stuffed coat hanger wire into the seams instead. Looked janky as hell but stood upright. Good enough for Instagram pics.
Epiphany Moment
Posted my Frankenstein version online with the designer’s @. Guy actually shared it! Got fifty new followers overnight. DMs blew up asking “Who IS this designer??” Felt awesome spreading his name. Still can’t believe some random dude in Kyiv pulled off the biggest dress that year right under Vogue’s nose. Makes my sewing struggles look like kindergarten craft time.
