At this point, Disney princesses have been reimagined as everything under the sun except, somehow, the queens they are supposed to grow into. But that's now been fixed thanks to a new collaboration between costume designer Nephi Garcia and photographer Tony Ross. Their fanciful photographs show in full, lush detail what Disney princesses would look like both as young women and as mature queens. Spoiler alert: They look regal and gorgeous.
"I was hoping to show them that these princesses are not just meant to dress up prettily, but they each have a responsibility," Garcia told BuzzFeed. "A sense of realism, you know. I want to show the world that they are independent and mature. That they've had a fulfilled life."
The duo reached out to "friends and families" to model for the photos, which are meant to portray not only the self/older-self relationship, but also the mother-daughter relationship. "I added a sense of whimsicality and youth in the younger characters's dresses, and for their moms, I made sure to add maturity, leadership, and a key element that connects the younger person to the elder. Like Belle, for example, she was holding the magic mirror on the younger photo, perhaps the scene where she was looking for her father. On the older version, I wanted her to be hugging the mirror and give the look that she wishes she could see her father one more time," Garcia said. Added Ross, "We aimed to touch more on the sentimental aspect of the characters and tied it in with such an important part of everyone's lives, the relationships we have with our mothers and others. It was more than just a concept to try out but a heartfelt message that many can personally relate to."
See the incredible pictures below:
