In these piggybacking pictorials, a show of power is displayed over the more submissive party—most times a horse is the prop, but sometimes it is everything from another person to a puppy.
Horses are such majestic and powerful animals that it is really an impressive feat for humans to have tamed them. Riding them has always been a symbol of power—the rider has control over the animal and a hierarchy is clear. The fact that some photo shoots now have other people as the supporting base, be in it good fun (like in ‘Ultimate Piggyback Prints’) or dark S&M fashion (see ‘Submissive Circus Shoots’), may be a testament to our paradigms on power and status.
The evolution of what is and what is not acceptable in fashion editorials is an indication of the development of a more open and accepting culture.
- Gen Z
- Gen Alpha
- Millennial
- Gen X
