Historical floral print blooms into UMW fall fashion trend

By SAVARA GUNN

Staff Writer

Floral designs on clothing have been wildly popular the past few years. Especially during the summer where breezy dresses, modern-day kimonos and shirts have the print sketched across like canvases.

The floral print originated in Japan and China, where flowers were commonly seen on the fabrics of kimonos or they were embroidered. Early Indian clothing was also known to have ornate floral patterns on a fabric called “chintz” that many used to describe the bridge which introduced the floral pattern to Europe in the 1400s. European traders then dispersed the designs globally, to Italy, the Ottoman Empire and further West. The Industrial revolution helped to increase the popularity of floral textiles that continued on in the 1920s when a label called Liberty London created the “Liberty Print” which is a floral pattern that is still used today, most notably in J. Crew fashion lines.

And today here on this campus, the floral design continues its popularity in fashion. From Hawaiian-styled shirts for men, to long, eye-catching dresses, the floral pattern is one of UMW’s biggest trends this week and probably for many more.