They are beloved primarily for their symbolism, which they carry over into clothing. Roses, for example, have always been associated with love and romance, sunflowers with joy, and lilies with elegance. Fashion loves flowers, and flowers love fashion. You could say it’s always been that way.
The allure of flowers was already discovered by the ancient Egyptians, who used them to enliven their garments. Similarly, in ancient Greece and Rome, clothing was adorned with garlands, wreaths, and fresh blossoms. In the Middle Ages, the nobility grew fond of floral lace.
Flowers, however, experienced their real boom during the reign of Britain’s Queen Victoria. In the 19th century, women wore dresses decorated with botanical prints, and fresh flowers were frequently incorporated into their daily attire – for instance, in headpieces.
We also can’t forget the 1960s, when flowers became a symbol of peace, love, and freedom. In the hands of the hippie movement, they became a visual representation of an inner philosophy of life and a peaceful alternative to violence. This love for floral motifs has endured to this day, with designers eagerly reviving it through nostalgic references.
The fashion scene was flooded with blooms even in 2025, bringing a futuristic take on floral patterns. We saw them not only as prints on fabric but also in the form of 3D applications, embroidery, and even actual fresh flowers.
She unveiled a romantic collection in which real flowers played the starring role. On sheer coats and dresses, she had real carnations sewn on, placed them in necklines, or pressed them into embellished fabrics.
The Belgian designer embraced floral fashion in grand style – orchids were everywhere. This exotic flower appeared on coats and blazers in various sizes and textures. He even used the Japanese suminagashi technique (ink marbling) to create floral patterns.
At the Bottega Veneta show, models carried bouquets… but not of fresh flowers. Instead, they were crafted from colorful leather blossoms, skillfully woven into bouquet shapes. The flower thus transformed into a luxury object – a handbag or accessory.
Even Prada didn’t lag behind. In its menswear collection, shirts with floral prints subtly peeked out from under what seemed to be plain gray cardigans. Now that’s what we call a quiet rebellion against formal austerity.
Flowers are trending not only in clothing but also in the world of accessories – sometimes even replacing the garments themselves. Luxury houses like Chanel have long offered iconic camellia-shaped brooches, while Van Cleef & Arpels became famous for jewelry inspired by blossoms.
Recently, floral claw clips have also become popular – especially those featuring Hawaiian flowers. Social media played a big role in this, spreading the trend of colorful clips in hair or pinned onto handbags at lightning speed.
A true specialty, however, are creations made of real flowers. These floral dresses and accessories are often crafted by florists in collaboration with designers for special occasions.
At this year’s New York Fashion Week, Australian florist Julia Rose delivered stunning work by presenting a floral couture collection. Her models didn’t walk the runway in textiles with floral prints – they were literally dressed in fresh flowers! Each look was unique, a living work of art that combined high fashion with floristry.
She showed the world that fresh flowers can confidently compete with traditional fabrics on the runway – her wearable floral artworks beautifully expressed fashion’s current love affair with fresh blooms.
