While we tend to associate gardens with flora and fauna, Uma Thurman teamed up with Tory Burch to shine a spotlight on the insects. For the 2024 Met Gala, Thurman worked with the designer to imagine a sweeping iridescent periwinkle dress made of taffeta, and affixed with 3D butterflies in an array of purples and blues. The swarm of hand-painted creatures isn’t the only breathtaking detail though. Not as loud, but equally as lovely are the ruched bodice and the pleats that jut out from the hip, creating a cascade of taffeta.
“I started with an extinct butterfly, the American Xerces Blue; it had the most extraordinary iridescent blue wings that reminded me of Uma’s eyes,” Burch tells Vogue. “The construction of the gown honors old-world techniques, with a hand-molded corset bonded to hand-pleated, hand-pressed silk taffeta.”
“She made some really beautiful sketches and created a stunning mood board, which had this iridescent blue butterfly that is sadly extinct as the inspiration and I just loved it,” Thurman says of working with Burch. “It was really a pleasure because I think we’re all rowing in the same direction from from the beginning, and there’s been a lot of ease and grace in the process of working with her, which I truly appreciate.”
Courtesy of Tory Burch