Florals for Fall? If the 2024 runways are an indication, prints will be blooming well into the autumn months. We got an early indication in August, when Vogue’s Anna Wintor wore floral maxi-dress looks to her appearances at the U.S. Open tennis in New York. And earlier that month, Blake Lively wore a stunning Oscar de la Renta floral minidress, a vintage Dior suit with daisy pattern (and other flashy floral looks) on her press tour for the film It Ends Like Us, in which she plays a florist called Lily Bloom. Lively also turned heads during New York Fashion Week in a Carolina Herrera floral gown. The dress featured three-dimensional flower appliqués, blending vintage glamour with contemporary fashion.

Floral trends for fall 2024 are as varied as the cities they were showcased in, with designers offering everything from maximalist, opulent blooms to dark, gothic botanicals. Whether through intricate embroidery, bold prints, or vintage-inspired fabrics like chintz, florals continue to be a powerful and versatile motif in fashion. This season, the runway's blooms are both a nod to nature and a testament to the creativity of designers who continue to reinvent this timeless pattern for new generations. 

Let's take a look at the floral fall looks in the major fashion capitals.

NEW YORK: FLORALS WITH A TWIST

At New York Fashion Week, floral designs were transformed into works of art. Designers like Carolina Herrera and Ulla Johnson played with oversized floral patterns in rich autumnal tones. Herrera’s collection, known for its signature femininity, showcased dramatic floor-length gowns adorned with oversized rose motifs in deep burgundy and plum hues. Meanwhile, Johnson embraced a more bohemian take with abstract floral prints on flowing dresses, pairing them with chunky boots for a modern twist on fall florals. Over at Armani, the floral prints brought to mind Chinoiserie, with their pink, cherry-blossom like embroideries while at Balmain, the botanicals incorporated bunches of grapes and Leowe went for a retro English garden-like chintz.

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PARIS: HAUTE COUTURE BLOSSOMS

Paris Fashion Week continued the floral trend with a nod to haute couture. Dior, known for its relationship with the natural world, presented a collection inspired by gardens, with intricate floral embroidery on delicate tulle fabrics. Even the men’s collection included tops embellished with their signature Lily of the Valley. Meanwhile, Valentino's runway blossomed with couture-level floral appliqués and luxurious textures, blending silk flowers into the designs of dresses and coats alike. Their back-to-school collection, Valentino L’École, featured denim with hibiscus-shaped cut outs.

LONDON: A DARKER BOTANICAL PALETTE

London Fashion Week brought a darker, moodier take on floral prints. Erdem and Simone Rocha led the charge with their gothic-inspired florals, combining delicate floral lace with black velvet and metallic accents. The collections evoked a sense of romance with an edge, perfect for fall’s colder months. Erdem’s runway was filled with dramatic floral patterns, including floor-length dresses featuring bold botanical prints against a backdrop of midnight blues and blacks.

Florals in London weren't all dark, however. Designers like Bora Aksu played with pastel florals, layering tulle and chiffon to create dreamy, ethereal dresses that seemed to float down the runway. These designs embraced the more whimsical side of florals, appealing to those who favor a softer, more romantic look.

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MILAN: OPULENCE IN FULL BLOOM

Milan Fashion Week embraced florals with unabashed opulence. Dolce & Gabbana, known for their signature maximalist style and recent Flower Power collection, filled the runway with extravagant floral prints and embellishments, also for men. The collection featured rich brocades, embroidered blooms, and even floral lace, ensuring that florals remained a central theme for fall.