I am offering up the following for commentary and critique, because I know broadly what I'm trying to do but I can't manage to achieve it.
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This is for
Fashions Made Sacred, and this is what must be the two-thousandth interpretation of the flag of the Republic of Spain.
The two diamonds on either side are intended as a figurative representation to call the Pillars of Hercules to mind without directly having them on the flag, with their being black instead of white to represent the black flags used to represent anti-monarchism in Spain in the 19th century ITTL. The blue below is the Sea, while the blue above is the Heavens, invoking the division of the waters in Genesis, while the sun sets over the water to the west beyond the Sea.
Non plus ultra is the motto of the Spanish Republic, which is said to have been written on the Pillars of Hercules in Antiquity as a warning to those leaving the Mediterranean -- that there was nothing further beyond (in Latin,
Nothing further beyond). This story was reversed before the PoD by Charles I (and V) into his motto
Plus ultra (in Latin,
Further beyond), in reference to Spain's empire in the Americas.
ITTL, the reversal is considered crucial by the Spanish republicans as a rejection of the Habsburgs (who ITTL reigned into the 20th century) and what they ideologically see as the
Habsburg empire beyond the sea, rather than Spain's -- it proclaims a theoretically anti-imperialist message that Spain, having rid itself of the Habsburgs, has also rid itself of the Habsburg ambition of dominion beyond its borders (it is of course, in fact, blatantly hypocritical, and they continue even in the 21st century to own a fraction of the old Spanish colonial empire in Africa).
Despite not actually liking mottos on flags myself, I feel like TTL's Spain would put it there whether I like it or not, so any design would still have that writing somewhere.
The use of blue is also intended to invoke the Virgin, as the Spanish Republic remains very Catholic.
The problem is that I don't like how the elements have come together and I would appreciate suggestions of how to improve it while still trying to broadly get this whole message across in the symbolism.