Can you imagine, what would the fairytales of your childhood look like if they were portrayed in a gauzy, haute-couture fashion?If you’ve ever wondered how a real-life version of Snow White would look like, then you’re in for a treat.
Since 2011, Russian photographer Margarita Kareva has brought fairytales to life by creating graceful images that capture the luxurious, almost royal aspect of high fashion. Throughout her work, models pose as alluring fairies, princesses, and sorceresses of the woods, reminding of us the cherished characters from our childhood bedtime stories.
Amidst enchanting scenarios, Kareva portrays imposing female characters in stunning costumes. Her narrative is captivating and vibrant and we see this in how her characters blend perfectly with the constant beauty of nature. Yet, I sense there’s a mysterious aspect to her pictures that overpowers the imagination of the viewer. By looking at her photographs, we step into the forgotten realm of our childhood imagination, a place we have neglected for some time. However, once we reach this place, we feel anything is possible. This corner of our imagination is warm and thrilling, a spot in our minds where we still feel captivated by magic and believe in otherworldly beauty. Kareva’s work invites us to revive our childlike curiosity and our capacity to believe in wondrous things that go beyond the limits of our reality.
Kareva’s models remind us of the precious characters we conjured up during bedtime, regal, enchanting, and solemn. Their personas are strong because they’re not washed out by the vibrant settings. They blend perfectly with the beauty of nature and this makes us believe that they don’t belong to our time, but rather to a distant past, when magic prevailed.
Kareva’s dazzling pictures have the power to overwhelm the senses with their dreamlike palette and surreal settings. In the worlds she creates, through her flattering lens, soft lighting, and stunning photoshop skills, anything is possible. The high fashion designs she captures in each frame are otherworldly and we see how each image is perfectly crafted to tell a story. The clothes are captivating, yes, but there are narratives to be unraveled in each picture. Kareva’s photographs are not only portraits; they are fairytales waiting to be told.
—Margarita Kareva is based in the town of Ekaterinburg in Russia, but she often travels around the world for her shootings, as well as for giving masterclasses. You can find more of her work on her official website and on her personal Instagram (@karevamargo). You might be interested in:Opening The Doors Of The Dreamworld In Pictures Photographs That Use Magical Realism To Explore Love and Nudity
Kareva Margarita
