(BPT) – We’ve all heard of the 1960s “flower power” trend in fashion and we shop floral prints and patterns season after season. But the importance of flowers in fashion stems way beyond that, influencing everything from original designs to runway décor and signature scents. Flowers show emotion, beauty and set the mood for a variety of occasions, so it’s no wonder they’ve become an influence for designers everywhere. In the midst of this month’s New York Fashion Week, here are four ways that flowers and fashion go hand in hand:
Runway décor
High-end fashion brands are often inspired by the bright colors of flowers for fashion presentations and runway shows. These flowers set the tone and create the perfect background to showcase the designer’s creations.
This season, kate spade new york partnered with the iconic floral and gifting company, FTD, to recreate the beautiful New York City flower bodegas full of fresh blooms. FTD provided over 30,000 flowers for the event, including bright pink gerbera daisies and roses in a variety of bright and coral hues to match the new kate spade new york spring line. The bright display of flowers created a fun, fresh, vibrant atmosphere for attendees.
Design
From the little black dress to the skinny jean, there are some trends that never seem to go out of style. But one of the biggest fashion statements that remains timeless on runways is the floral print. Throughout the seasons, floral prints small and large fade in and out of style and represent various decades of fashion.
Additionally, fashion designers look to gardening for inspiration in their designs. Not only do flower shapes inspire styles such as the tulip skirt, but some designers actually take refuge in their gardens to recharge their creative juices. Gardening brings them peace and serenity when they are feeling uninspired.
Scent
The fashion industry doesn’t stop at apparel. Many famous designers have created their own perfume or line of perfumes to complement their apparel and accessories. In 1919, Coco Chanel launched Chanel No. 5, a perfume created to elicit the essence of a single garden flower. It remains a top-selling scent today and Chanel has since released a variety of other scents for men and women.
Accessories
Floral hues and patterns find their way into the latest fashion accessory designs season after season, especially in the spring. Spring fashion is often characterized by bright floral colors to signal the end of winter and the anticipated warmer weather. Bold, floral-inspired accessories like handbags, jewelry and shoes are used in looks across fashion runways to add pops of unexpected color for a brilliantly eye-catching look.
Without flowers, the fashion industry would be an entirely different world. Designers may have talent dripping from their fingertips, but the ways they become inspired is often as simple as stepping out into nature.
