Photographed by Harold Julian
An exploration of the interconnectedness of all living beings, their vulnerability and diversity, and the ever-changing visuals of flora at a moment’s glance
The life of a flower is a precious thing to witness, beginning from a burgeoning bud to a momentary bloom before reaching a delicate end, withering away with time, petal by petal. There is something innately intriguing about our experience of flowers, something that author Michael Pollan describes as “so deeply drenched in time.” Perhaps, as he writes in The Botany of Desire, it’s because we “can scarcely look at a flower in bloom without thinking ahead, whether in hope or regret.”
Vogue Philippines beauty editor Joyce Oreña and photographer Harold Julian were drawn to this transience, only to find something deeper: that living beings, in all our vulnerability and diversity, are interconnected, bound by and cast into time.
“This started with our fascination with flora, and interconnectedness and diversity naturally followed,” Oreña explained. “It was also about fleeting beauty—a loveliness that is all the more precious because of the realization that nothing lasts forever, but that is what makes it all the more exquisite.”
Coiling stems and saturated blooms are pressed flush against dewy skin and rosy cheeks across an inclusive cast. It’s another analogy to flowers: as each one is distinctly beautiful in its own way, so are people. “Like flowers, we are all distinct and diverse,” Oreña mused. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
For Julian, the story struck a personal chord, unexpected in the exploration of something as mundane as a flower. “Growing up in Hawaii exposed me to the concept of diversity at a young age. I was surrounded by different cultures, and I loved finding where others originated from,” Julian said. “It felt organic to explore this concept [in this story], and I will continue to incorporate it more into my work in the future.”
THREE AS FOUR red ribbon dress, LEVIAN flower earrings. Photographed by Harold Julian1/11
Photographed by Harold Julian2/11
THREE AS FOUR, organic green curved dress. Photographed by Harold Julian3/11
Photographed by Harold Julian4/11
Photographed by Harold Julian5/11
AKNVAS green ruffle dress, LEVIAN orchid earrings. Photographed by Harold Julian6/11
Photographed by Harold Julian7/11
BRONX AND BANCO, silver bandeau dress with embellishments. Photographed by Harold Julian8/11
Photographed by Harold Julian9/11
ANKVAS green ruffle dress, LEVIAN orchid earrings. Photographed by Harold Julian10/11
THREE AS FOUR organic green curved dress. Photographed by Harold Julian11/11
Photographs by HAROLD JULIAN. Makeup by ERIC VOSBURG. Hair by RYUTA SAYAMA. Beauty Editor: JOYCE OREÑA. Stylist: Ise White. Models: Hsu Chen of Supreme NYC, Neil Varel of New York Model Management, Valerie Celis of Ford Models. Casting: Eric Cano. Stylist’s Assistant: Anabel Fischer. Hair Assistant: Narumi Baba. Shot on location at Chrome15 Studio at Mana Contemporary.
