Little did I know that the glittering silver rose choker I used to wear as a child would come back in fashion all these years later. Yes, the rosecore fashion trend has been present since 2023 and is very much being carried into 2024! This micro trend has been seen across home decor, fashion, and art, and thanks to the upcoming spring-summer season, we can predict that it’s going to be rosy for a little longer.
In fashion, roses have adorned everything from clothing and scarves to shoes, bags, and fine jewelry, since time immemorial. This year’s MET Gala theme “The Garden of Time” also revolved around florals and explored the cycle of creation and destruction, of nature and decay. And as expected, we did see a few breathtaking floral couture pieces, including pretty, blooming roses. Well, we love everything floral here, so we were enchanted by the looks that served!
The Favorite Flower
Rose prints, embellishments, and embroideries have been featured in the works of many designers for decades now. It can be traced back to the works of English designer Charles Frederick Worth, who’s also said to be the creator of haute couture. Heritage fashion houses like Saint Laurent, Dior, and Alexander McQueen have used the rose as their house codes for years. It has been Yves Saint Laurent’s favorite flower from his early days working under Christian Dior in the ‘50s right through to the late ‘80s and ‘90s. His rose-printed dresses have also been featured in several fashion magazines.
For British designer Alexander McQueen, roses remained the recurring theme throughout his career. The motif cascading down dresses, red rose imitations crafted over the shoulders of boleros, perforating through leather and stitched through muslins — all were celebrated creations during his time. After his demise, when Sarah Burton took over as creative director, she continued featuring life-like roses in coats and dresses.
The gorgeous flower has also been referenced in the designs of Cristobal Balenciaga, and featured on the wonderful hats made by Elsa Schiaparelli. And we cannot move ahead without mentioning Dolce & Gabbana’s floral paradise, which almost always includes roses. Whether it’s on t-shirts, skirts, and billowing dresses as prints or beaded roses hand-sewn onto the more exclusive couture pieces, for D&G, the flower is a glorious nod to ultra femininity and nature. Cue the splendid visual of the recent cover that Zendaya did for Vogue, glowing in a rose-shaped dress that pretty much looked like a real rose.
It is evident from such artistic masterpieces that even the slightest cut of a sleeve or the drape of a skirt can transform a rosette’s effect from pretty and girly to sensual and somewhat fanciful. Here are some of our top picks featuring the queen of flowers that do justice to the rosecore fashion trend.
Dolce & Gabbana Rose Printed Ruched Mini Dress
Kenzo Multicolor Floral Print Canvas Open Tote
Zimmermann Floral Printed Belted Straight Pants
Valentino Beige Floral Printed Silk Chiffon Ruched Top
Mikael Aghal Rosette Applique Embellished Dress
Valentino Leather Rose Applique Peep Toe Pumps
Kenzo Blue Floral Print Denim Knee Length Skirt
Dolce & Gabbana Black Floral Printed Silk Pajama Top
How The Rose Blooms Today
In recent years, the rose has taken a more surreal shape in fashion. At Valentino, former creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli used roses of all sizes and shapes. His 3D midi dress from the Fall 22-23 collection and a PP Pink dress with a rose hood from the Spring 2023 couture show displayed his imaginative take. Another genius interpretation of the flower featured in Loewe’s rose-heeled sandals, designed by Jonathan Anderson. More recently, Tamara Ralph’s Spring 2024 collection starred fabric roses on bodices and encrusted crystal ones on necklines. Other designers such as Blumarine, Rodarte, and Prada also put 3D floral appliqués across every kind of garment imaginable. Rose petals meant for pinning or draping onto jackets, dresses, and bags have also been spotted.
Needless to say, roses and rosette embellishments have been blooming all over the best designer outfits, and we’re all for it! So whether you want to channel a romantic vibe, a minimalist, or a more whimsical one, the beauty of this flower is you can wear it your way and still be a vital part of the rosecore fashion trend this year. After all, its effect can be exactly as its wearer intends, even in modern times.
