The angels who rest in the walls of the church also lie where humans mourn. Angels in Christian art are symbols of protection and hope, although when their sculptures are found in cemeteries, their appearance demonstrates the grief of their surroundings. Their endurance of the outdoors leaves them worn and disheveled, and we let that diminish their purity. The purpose of angels, inside a chapel or at the head of a grave, is to be consoling and ethereal, so why do we allow the cemetery to be where divine favor descends?
This style represents a fall from grace. A style in which women lose favor or honor when choosing how they present in fashion, even when not given a choice. There is a glorious side of fashion that is grunge – it’s dirty and should be explored without judgment.
Walking through Savannah’s own Bonaventure cemetery, the statues of angels are immediately eye-catching. Many stand tall with an air of responsibility on their shoulders, while others seem to bear a heavier weight. There is a vulnerability in those that have fallen to their knees or bear their face in their hands, yet those lichen-coated angels are still consoling and divine.
Creative Direction, Styling, and Words by Charlotte Pinkerton.
Photography by Lola Rugg.
Makeup by Ari Young Sang.
Styling Assistance by Kayla Fierko.
Talent by Zaira Pires and Peri Perkins.