Why Spring 2023's Florals Actually Are Groundbreaking

Florals trending in spring will never be novel. You know it. Miranda Priestly knows it. Given that crocuses, daffodils, and other eager buds naturally bloom in late March, flower-centric fashion for spring rarely feels inventive. Even still, a new crop of ideas was in full bloom on Spring 2023's runways, signaling that this season's take on florals is fresher this year than seasons past. Look to Jonathan Anderson's hyper-realistic anthuriums for Loewe, which appeared to have been freshly snipped from a botanical garden. Prada's eerie, pop-up petals and Acne Studios' thorny rosettes showed a darker, more subversive side to the '80s-prom applique—think Carrie Bradshaw with a Prozac prescription and penchant for pessimism with her love life. Spring 2023's floral trends actually feel (sorry in advance) groundbreaking.

As trend forecaster and founder of JMR Trend + Creative (opens in new tab) Jessica Richards (opens in new tab) articulates, "[Florals] are an evergreen (pardon the pun) expression of our desire each year to feel rejuvenated by the spring season; to reconnect with color, natural elements, and the possibility of hope and new life that this time of year represents." But looking ahead to spring 2023, collectively, we're demanding more from the iconic natural symbol—more experimentation, more spirit, more everything. "This season, there's an incredible desire for maximalist dressing that correlates with the market's growing love for novelty—if not outright camp—details. We're beyond the typical expressions of floral prints and embroideries of past seasons and leaning into gorgeous, dimensional applications that take florals to a more fantasy level this spring," explains the fashion analyst.

Libby Page (opens in new tab), NET-A-PORTER (opens in new tab)'s market director, echoes Richards about the innovation of this season's florals, particularly with its printed offerings that feel more abstracted than literal. "There is something delicate, feminine, and wearable about floral prints that keep them a mainstay year after year," she says, shouting out "Oscar de la Renta’s ‘smudged’ pattern and the printed renderings at Dries van Noten" as parituclarly inspired standouts from this season. "Overall, we love to see brands experiment with the traditional floral print, whether that be in the design or the silhouette it sits on and interpreting it in their own unique DNA," she shares.

In essence, Spring 2023's take on florals isn't prim and proper like the demure designs you'd find at a country club garden party. "Expect to see daring, fun, and novel expressions with florals this spring, as those who embrace the trend will do so in a bolder way," foretells Richards. "This is not a season of shy, ditsy prints in muted palettes; flowers will 'live' dimensionally through sculptural fabric manipulations in garments and oversized accessories. With a nod toward maximalism, this is a season where we will see unique styling with florals and are dressing with presence, optimism, and a wink at whimsy."

Ahead, the five trends from the Spring/Summer 2023 season that give florals an imaginative and much-needed contemporary tweak.

Hyperrealistic Renderings

Flowers in their most literal, true-to-life form were plentiful, from Robert Wun's zoomed-in photo prints to Off-White's lifelike lilies. "A particular highlight [of Spring/Summer 2023] were the 3-D iterations, seen at Loewe," describes NET-A-PORTER's Page of the ruby red and white laceleafs that went (and continue to go) uber-viral online. Ludovic de Saint Sernin, the patron saint of sex and sartorial sin for fashion folks, also focused on anthuriums; His interpretation included realistic corsages and boutonnieres as an homage to photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, who often documented the otherwordly-looking flower.

Rosettes Galore

Sculptural, full-femme rosettes were one of the most prevalent trends of the Spring/Summer 2023 season: Tagwalk (opens in new tab), a fashion search engine, reports that 270 looks across all four cities featured flower embellishments. They also are a favorite of Page's, as she finds the three-dimensional appliques a "great way to make a statement and put a modern twist on" what she calls the "'Flower Power' trend." The market director specifically shouts out Magda Butrym's bud-adorned offerings, saying she "particularly loved seeing this across the footwear." 

You'll notice the rosette trend has sturdy legs on the red carpet circuit, too: Harry Styles wore an oversized bud by Nina Ricci to the BRITs while Zendaya, courtesy of Valentino, was dripping in almost 200 pink roses at the 2023 SAG Awards (opens in new tab).

Pressed & Preserved

"Flowers can feel personal or signify meaning in their color or type, which deeply resonates with the wearer," says Richards. "As a motif, it signifies to the wearer and the observer a sense of joy that will always have significance year after year." Bottega Veneta, Simone Rocha, Dior, and Erdem tapped into the botanical's sentimentality through layering with sheers (opens in new tab) and lace, creating a pressed and preserved effect like the blossoms you'd see sandwiched in a scrapbook. NET-A-PORTER's Page also highlights "Proenza Schouler's double-printed floral designs" to exemplify the delicate sensibility of the trend.

Brushed by Monet

Through blurred, Impressionist prints, creatives like Carolina Herrera's Wes Gordon and the incomparable Dries van Noten breathed new life into familiar floral patterns. And while the graphic will run across a gamut of garments, Page says the appeal of a floral dress for spring, particularly when done in this year's artistic iterations, is unending. “At NET-A-PORTER, we’ve increased our buy of floral dresses by 49 percent for Spring/Summer 2023 versus SS22," she offers.

Paillette Petals

"Designers have created floral pieces this season that feel not just fresher but more personal, unique, and collectible," details Richards. "These styles are instantly recognizable and immediately inspire joy in the wearer because of their novelty." This bibelot-esque theme is perhaps best represented in the surplus of sequined florals and paillette petals, seen at Brandon Maxwell, Valentino, Simone Rocha, and Giambattista Valli. 

Meet the Experts

Jessica Richards

Jessica Richards is a trend forecaster, style storyteller, and founder of JMR Trend + Creative, whose synergistic focus inspires what is now and next. With an extensive background in forecasting, concepts, and design for major North American retailers, she brings forward-thinking yet commercial and brand-right viability to projects across the fashion and wellness industries.

Libby Page

The conduit between Buying & Marketing as Market Director at NET-A-PORTER, Libby Page takes a 360 approach to fashion from product to marketing and beyond.