This design was created by Jules Helleu, possibly for Charles Frederick Worth. It represents a butterfly. The front of the corsage bodice forms the butterfly, with its upper set of wings spreading across the bust, while the lower set of wings are greatly exaggerated and extended into multicoloured overskirt to a pale grey crinoline skirt overlaid with sheer draped tulle. Small butterfly wings are attached to the back of the bodice, and matching "wings" are arranged around the bottom of the underskirt. The model has a headdress made to represent a green dragonfly.

During the 1860s, Empress Eugenie of France threw a number of extravagant masquerade balls which required the guests to wear elaborate and inventive costumes that were made up by Worth and other Paris dressmakers. Worth, a relative newcomer, became the Empress's favoured couturier at the end of the 1850s. This made him extremely fashionable, and the rest of the ladies of Eugenie's court also bought gowns from him - and so too did their husbands' mistresses, and anyone wealthy enough to afford Worth's very high prices. As a result, Worth was under great pressure to produce vast numbers of unique, one of a kind costumes and gowns, often at very short notice. This is one of a large number of similar designs and sketches that were given to the V&A as part of the archive and reference collection of the House of Worth, making it extremely likely that it was originally designed for a guest to wear to one of the Empress's magnificent balls.