The 75-year-old one-of-a-kind singer, songwriter, actress, humanitarian and fashion icon is still as dazzling and original as ever.

Dolly Parton likes butterflies. Since she was a child in the mountains of Tennessee, she has been fascinated by them. Parton, 75, said to me on a sultry summer day: "I used to have trouble with my mother because they had to come to me, and I would chase a butterfly from one bush to another. ." Her office building in Nashville. Her voice has a magical lightness, expressing the joy of storytelling. She was wearing a tight-fitting champagne pink custom gown with sequined butterflies and dancing on the beaded corset. Parton is very small—only five feet tall—but between her one-mile-high blonde wig and six-inch high heels (which she wears at home and on stage), she looks as big as a billboard. However, Parton perfectly weakened her sense of existence, while at the same time possessing the characteristics of self-awareness, self-depreciation and completely attractive. Therefore, while you are dazzled, you are also fascinated.

"Butterflies don't sting, they don't bite, and they are very beautiful," Parton continued. "And I just use my own personality to relate to them. I claim that they are my little symbols." In her 50-year career, Patton has been full of butterflies: the symbol of her theme park, Dolywood, is one A butterfly; in 1974, Parton wrote a song called "Love is like a butterfly", which ranked first on the country charts; her perfume called Dolly–Scent From Above, launched in July last year, bottle The top of the body is decorated with a pink crystal butterfly. Parton also has a butterfly or two on his body. "I have some small tattoos everywhere," she told me. "Most of my tattoos are because I am fair. I have a tendency to scar when I get any cuts. I have done surgery for different things. If the scar does not heal normally, I only need the tattoo to eliminate the tingling. I don’t have really heavy dark tattoos. Mine are all pastels. And I have more than one!"

Chanel jumpsuit; Chopin earrings, necklace and ring; Tiffany bracelet.

While we were chatting, Parton was called by Steve Summers, who has served as her creative director for the past three years. "We must start working," he said enthusiastically. Summers is a tall man in a black shirt, gray pants and silver shoes. He has bright blond hair and an equally lively personality. He is mainly responsible for the styling of Dolly Parton: he designs 300 dresses for Parton every year, from decorating her guitar with sequins to making her costume jewelry. Earlier in the day, I helped Summers open his car, which was filled with 10 pairs of Patton-sized 5.5 mules, in various stages of confusion; several brightly colored dresses; and a huge plastic bag. , Filled with earrings, bracelets and necklaces. "She used to wear real things," Summers said, referring to jewelry, and he put the bag on the counter in Parton's dressing room. "But if someone tells Dolly that they like her earrings, she will take them off and give them to that person!" He said with a smile. "I would say,'Those are real diamonds!' Dolly would shrug. So now we always look for fakes."

Summers held up an iconic Dolly piece, consisting of multiple chains connected to the side and intended to be worn as a belt. One thread is lower than the other thread and dips down into the crotch. "We call this vag booty," Summers said, placing the chain next to his body. "Or belly swag, if we are polite." He held up a red sequined shoe he had decorated recently. "Look at this cloth," he said. "I used a drawstring material on the toe box-it made the shoes comfortable and held her feet in place." Every piece of clothing that Patton wears is specially designed for her, including what she calls " Baby clothes"—the cotton knitted garment she wears at home. (Parton said she went to bed after putting on makeup in case of storms, earthquakes, or other emergencies that might require her to have a camera ready.) "Dolly doesn't wear casual clothes or sweatpants," Summers said, even considering the idea Shocked. "I design all her home clothes to match her house: for the lake, a soft jacket will be embroidered with flamingos; for the townhouse, the color will match the tone of the room. And, of course, Her shoes will also be dyed the same color as her clothes."

Chanel jumpsuit; Chopin earrings, necklace and ring; Tiffany bracelet.

Thirty years ago, Summers, 57, was a dancer in Dollywood. He noticed that the clothes he was wearing were made of fabrics that were not suitable for sports. Parton learned of his complaint through the dance captain and suggested that if Summers agreed to work for her for a year after graduation, he would pay for Summers to study at the Manhattan Institute of Fashion Technology for two years. Although Summers was not a loyal fan of Parton at first, he was deeply inspired by her belief in him, professional ethics, and the combination of glitz and charm. Now, decades later, he has done almost all visual-related work for Parton, whether it's formulating her overall image or helping her record TV shows when Covid-19 restrictions make it impossible for staff to gather.

"Let's go!" Parton said, and she and Summers joined hands and walked down the corridor into the building's studio. In W shooting, three eight-foot-tall glass windows displayed some of her most memorable outfits, including a white leather jacket with a huge gold zipper closure on the front and blue, gold, and silver tassels on the hem Beads. "Oh my God!" Parton exclaimed, staring at his headless mannequin version. "I sang'Nine to Five' in that song! I almost passed out because of the weight of the piece of leather, but I survived. The show continues!"

Gucci turtleneck, skirt, necklace and ring; her own earrings.

Sustaining a career of more than 50 years requires more than just some excellent wigs and clothing. "Dolly has great intelligence and resilience," her 9-to-5 co-actor Jane Fonda told me. "You underestimated her danger. I learned a lot from her about how to get the job done." Initially, Nashville thought Patton was just a composer; she often visited the cemetery to get inspiration for songs. "I would read someone's name on their stone, or see the grave of a child, wondering what their story is," she said. But since 1959, when she was only 13 years old, when her first hit "Puppy Love" came out, Parton has focused on success. In the same year, she appeared for the first time in Great Opry. "I got an encore," she told me, "but I only have one song, so I sing it again! When I heard "Puppy Love" on the radio for the first time, I almost committed suicide. I I was sitting on the counter of my aunt’s house and suddenly heard my own voice. I slid to the floor because she was mopping the floor. I tried to listen to the radio. To this day, I have never heard more than the first time I listened on the radio. To more exciting things for yourself."

Parton, one of the 12 children, had a crush on many people when he was a girl. "There are many boys in my life," she recalled. "I like boys. I still. In the early days, I liked Johnny Cash very much. He was young and thin, and he had that kind of charm. The way he walks around—you know, it’s so sexy. Then I found out that he was just playing Detoxification, but it still touched me. He is so, so sexy." In 1964, Parton moved to Nashville, and on the first day she came to Nashville, she met an up-and-coming businessman Cal Dean. She left her two boyfriends at home, but she immediately fell in love with Dean. People told her not to get married, which would be bad for her career, but Parton wouldn't listen. She wore a dignified knee-length white dress, low-heeled high-heeled shoes and a short fluffy veil knotted.

Steve Summers (Steve Summers) custom dress for Parton; Marc Jacobs sunglasses; Chopin earrings and rings; Tiffany & Co. necklace.

Today, they have been together for 55 years. Dean has never been as interested in the spotlight as Parton, but he has always supported her career. They have never had children, and despite their long marriage, Parton is always self-sufficient in public. Interestingly, her efforts to become an independent woman involved another kind of marriage: her professional relationship with Potter Wagner, who was one of the biggest stars in country music in the 1960s and 70s. When Parton was still performing in a conservative long-sleeved high-necked dress at the age of 21, she was hired by Wagner as his theater and TV show. He took over her career, became her duet partner, and dramatically changed her appearance. Wigs have become more refined, and costumes have become more fitted and gorgeous. This transformation suits Patton's taste, and her trash and charming appearance become her hallmarks.

Behind the scenes, Wagner and Parton rarely meet. "My husband and I don't quarrel," Parton told me, "but Potter and I did nothing but fight. It's a love-hate relationship." When Parton said she wanted to go out on her own, Wagner was very angry. In the end, Parton wrote her feelings into a song: "I will always love you." This song was later famous for Whitney Houston. This song is about her decision to leave Wagner's job. When she sang the song for him, he said, "This is the best song you have ever written. If I can make that song, you can go."

Before Parton left Wagner's show and stopped performing with him, she had become the superstar the world now admires. From 1971 to 1975, she ranked number one with five singles, including the iconic "Jolene". She surpassed country music, and by 1980, she became a movie star. In order to prepare for the nine-to-five role she suggested to her in Fonda, Parton, who was nervous about the performance, memorized the entire script, including the lines of other people. While she was waiting for her scene, Parton would click on her long acrylic nails. This typewriter-like voice has been lingering in her heart, and it became the main theme of the song "Nine to Five", which eventually won two Grammy Awards and was nominated for an Oscar.

Louis Vuitton catsuit, long shorts and thick gold necklace (worn as a belt); Chopard earrings; the stylist's own multi-strand chain strap. On the mannequin, from left: a Robért Behar dress worn by Parton on the 2016 "Pure and Simple" tour; a custom dress by Steve Summers, which originally appeared on the cover of Country Weekly in August 2011.

Nine to five also consolidated Parton's unique personality: she is bigger and bolder than other celebrities. She is also a keen businesswoman. When Elvis Presley wanted to record "I will always love you", his manager asked Paton to provide half the publishing rights for the song. "I said,'I'm sorry, but I can't publish it to you.' I want to hear Elvis sing and it breaks my heart-I cried all night," Parton said. "But I have to put the copyright in my pocket. You must take care of your business! If you can, everyone will use you. These are my songs-they are like my children. I hope they are in my Support me when I'm old!" She paused. "Elvis’ wife Priscilla told me that when she divorced Elvis, Elvis sang her my song. This touched me deeply. They also played this song at Whitney Houston’s funeral. Song. After that, I thought, I bet they will play the same song when I go." Parton smiled when he said this. We are proud to be able to provide soundtracks for key moments in people's lives.

The enduring success of "I will always love you" proves Parton's endurance and genius as a songwriter. Although other music stars of her generation have faded out of sight, Patton has always kept pace with the times and is inspiring. ("I even did TikTok," she said.) However, this is not always easy. In the early 1980s, she went through a difficult period. She has financial problems to solve. When Parton left the Porter Wagner show, although Wagner blessed her to leave, he still sued her for $1 million, and a few years later, he sued her for $3 million. Parton is also plagued by health problems. It is worth noting that she thinks that period is very enlightening. "I think God just knocked me down," she said in her autobiography. "It was a difficult time, but it made me know other people better." By 1989, Parton returned to the top of the list, cooperating with the popular movie "Steel Mulan" and hosting "Saturday Night Live."

Louis Vuitton catsuit, long shorts and thick gold necklace (worn as a belt); Chopard earrings and rings; stylist's own cuffs and multi-strand chain straps; Parton's own shoes. In the glass window, from left: Robert Behar dress; Steve Summers custom dress; Robert Behar dress worn by Parton in "The Vintage Tour" in 2005.

That tenacity seemed to keep her young; she was always pushing. I asked Parton who she wanted to play in this inevitable movie about her life. "Well, there are different stages," she said. "We might have to choose a little dolly, a medium dolly, and an old dolly. I think of two or three different people, but they are almost as old as I am now!" Parton smiled. "I can play by myself. I might! I am any age. I always say that I am as old as yesterday, but I am as new as tomorrow."

Back to W shooting, Parton changed into a fitted black sequined Chanel jumpsuit. A lot has been said about her figure, but it is still shocking. She is a real hourglass: big breasts, thin waist, round hips. (In July this year, on her husband’s 79th birthday, Parton wore a Playboy Bunny uniform. It fits perfectly.)

"I like this dress," Summers said. He tied a Tiffany diamond bracelet to Parton's wrist. "We don't like real things!" Parton joked to the guards who protect the jewelry on set. She shook her wrist so that the diamond came into view and the bracelet fell to the floor. "Look what happens when I put on the authentic product?!" Parton joked, and everyone in his sight scrambled to pick it up. "I'm a rhinestone girl!" Parton began to sing a few bars of "Rhinestone Cowboy", and the guard was stunned. "You can put down my bracelet at any time," he said.

Parton and Summers walked to the tray containing Chopin's jewelry and stared at a very large amethyst. "I can't wear such small jewelry," she said flirtingly. "Do you have something bigger?" She looked at Summers, and she told her to proceed as planned. After the shooting, they are shooting Dolly perfume ads for Christmas, Valentine's Day and Mother's Day. Summers has created a luxurious look for each photo, and his team is busy with the huge butterfly background. There are workers everywhere-canvas scenes, sewing beads on skirts, and finishing accessories. This is a hive of happy activities.

During the Covid lockdown, Parton did not slow down. She not only completed the development of perfume, but also donated US$1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center to fund research on the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine. In February 2020, just before the global pandemic was announced, best-selling author James Patterson invited her to collaborate on a novel about a country singer who went to Nashville to seek fortune and escape from the past. Two days after meeting with Patterson, Parton sent him notes on the plot, as well as the lyrics of seven new songs inspired by his story. In March 2022, "Run, Rose, Run" co-authored by Patton and Patterson will be published and an album of the same name will be released. The two wrote novels at home and managed to keep the project secret; at the same time, Parton recorded a song. She also won two Emmy Awards for the Netflix film "Dolly Parton's Christmas in the Square", in which she played an angelic presence.

Steve Summers (Steve Summers) custom-made dress for Parton; Marc Jacobs sunglasses; Chopin earrings; Tiffany & Co. necklace.

Cheryl Riddle's hair; Rebecca Seaver's makeup; Hannah Son's nail art. Modified by 4C imaging.

Produced by Wes Olson of Connect the Dots Inc.; Production Coordinator: Hannah Murphy of Connect the Dots Inc.; Photography Assistant: Sam Hayes; Production Assistant: Laura Damon; Tailor: Iisha Lemming, Riley Reed Hanratty, Barrie Kaufman .

Wait: she didn't stop at all. "You have to keep going, but you have to stay awake about your time and choices," Parton told me between settings. In the last photo, we presented her with several vintage Dolly Barbie dolls from the 70s. She likes them, but is curious about their prices on eBay. "I've been thinking about that kind of thing-cost," she said. "I can enjoy all these interesting things, but I always say that when doing business, I look like a woman, but I think like a man. Over time, this helps me a lot: If I don’t like what you get, I will tell you where to put it."

Parton smiled. As always, her charm won the victory: she smiled at Dolly Barbie and put on a pose to light up the room. Everyone applauded. "At a moment like this, I do feel like a butterfly," she said. "I just flapped my wings and flew."