Marc Jacobs

Within the context of a new decade and what could possibly be the last years of life on earth as we know it come December 21, 2012, (if the Ancient Maya were right), the ubiquitous obsession fashion has with owl and butterfly accessories and graphics takes on new meaning. In the wake of a decade that saw 9/11, the start of the Iraq War, the begrudging acceptance of global warming, an economic collapse to rival the Depression, and large scale natural disasters around the globe, it is no surprise that the tone of this new decade is apocalyptic.

The reactionary 80s glitz of yore is eclipsed on runways and retail floors by somber neutrals and utilitarian styles we can wear to the grave. Even Marc Jacobs, noted for his elaborate and quirky collections, has taken a step back from the ostentatious eccentricity of the past. Taking into account the monolithic deaths of Yves Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen, both visionaries and innovators that infused and shaped so much of the industry, fashion appears to be in a state of mourning.

Faced with the mystery of death and impending doom, the owl, (regarded as an ambassador between this world and the great beyond), has arrived to usher fashion into its next plane. Associated with death and transition, the owl is both a comforting and threatening reminder of the state of affairs and doomsday theories. The butterfly, a symbol of reinvention and time, alludes to the transformative consequences the year 2012 represents.

Forever 21

By the time the morning of December 22, 2012 dawns, the theories and speculations of disaster will no longer matter, since the prophesied changes will either already be in effect, or will be shrugged off much like the Y2K fiasco of the late 90s. Several camps of thought are at odds about what the date truly indicates. Will the world end in floods and massive natural disasters? Will we be running from four horsemen or dodging meteoroids? Will we be entering a new astrological age that will summon a global change in consciousness?

For more information on the assorted doomsday predictions, you can Netflix a History Channel documentary or simply Google: utter world annihilation. What I love about fashion is it doesn't have to be rigidly defined by these theories in order to be influenced by them and shape a new window into the cultural subconscious.

Louis Vuitton Python Heels

Whether walking into Tiffany & Co. or Forever 21, the consumer is bombarded with a wide selection of butterfly and owl options for every flight of fancy. The costume jewelry section of Forever 21 is knee-deep in these winged creatures, as is Urban Outfitters where there are rings and t-shirts for customers to net and take home. Marc By Marc Jacobs featured owl t-shirts and pendants in the Fall of 2009, foreshadowing the trend.

Avian inspiration emerged on the Spring and Fall 2009 runways from the coveted Louis Vuitton feathered python Spring heels to peacock evening dresses from the Giambattista Valli Fall collection. Zara promptly created its own version of the heels. Milly offered a more economically-priced peacock dress in department stores. As often happens in fashion, a seed will be planted on runways, but blossom a season or two later.

The butterfly and owl frenzy has caught fire but what is relevant about these particular birds of a feather is the way in which they seem to be echoing the cultural zeitgeist. They embody particular associations with mortality and the unknown. In a time of international conflict and change, the butterfly and owl are both ominous harbingers of change, and guides to steer us through times of uncertainty.