The very famous Rose Sisters, true celebrities at the Venice Carnevale....
We have been friends for many years...
Their costumes are always a big hit with photographers and they attract a big crowd everywhere they go...
Fans will remember them from a promotional poster we did for a major ball at the Venice Carnevale a few years back...
My photography style at the Venice Carnevale has changed quite a bit last year and this year, with a bigger concentration on historical costumes and painted faces, much to the delight of curators. The Venice Carnevale is not solely about masks. Many locals prefer painted faces and/ or historical costumes.
The Rose Sisters have two variations of their costumes this year, one with full mask, and another with half masks. I am most delighted to photograph them in their second costume variant.
The costumes are pure Haute Goth. Haute Goth is a captivating style that blends the dark and mysterious elements of gothic fashion with the luxury and sophistication of high fashion. It is a style that exudes elegance and edge, and it continues to elevate the gothic aesthetic to new heights of creativity and glamour.
The Haute Goth style has its roots in the traditional gothic aesthetic, which emerged in the 18th and 19th centuries as a response to the Enlightenment's emphasis on rationality and order. Gothicism reveled in the darker, more mysterious aspects of life, embracing themes of death, decay, and the supernatural.
In the 20th century, goth culture emerged as a subculture that drew inspiration from gothic literature, music, and art. Gothic fashion has since become a staple of the goth subculture, characterized by dark colors, intricate lacework, leather, and dramatic silhouettes.
However, Haute Goth takes this aesthetic to a new level. It fuses the darker elements of gothic fashion with the high-fashion sensibilities of couture designers. With its characteristics of luxurious fabrics, intricate details, avant-garde silhouettes, and subtle gothic touches, the result is a style that is both elegant and edgy, sophisticated and subversive.
I imagine the costumes to be black roses. Roses are some of my favourite flowers and of all colors, I like the black rose best.
Legend has it that a black rose growing in the ice and snow can grant a person three wishes. Only those who love each other sincerely can pick it up. But everyone who goes to the iceberg is either dead or disabled. Because they are not destined to love each other deeply, they cannot pick the God of Roses...