This spring, you are going to want to brooch the subject. Designers and style savants alike have propelled this sometimes fusty ornament from the back of grandma’s jewel box to the forefront of modern sartorial dialogue, proving that a single pinned blossom can make a strong statement and elevate a look from mundane to memorable and signal curation over consumption.

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RUNWAY REVIVAL

This revival arrives at a time when fashion is collectively taking a beat from minimalism and leaning into expressive details. Across the Spring/Summer 2026 runways, floral brooches bloomed in unexpected places – on crisp blazers, slouchy linen shirts, and even juxtaposed with streetwear silhouettes – while houses from Chanel to Carolina Herrera and Tory Burch showcased blooms in gold, crystal, and gemstone renditions that straddle the line between heirloom and contemporary art.

Chanel’s camellia brooches – long a signature of the house – are bigger than ever this spring, floating across tweed jackets. Max Mara’s metal flower pins personalise quiet luxury neutral tones, and Swarovski’s cherry blossom pieces catch the light like spring dew. These aren’t accessories merely pinned on – they are intentional aesthetic anchors.

FROM STATUS TO STATEMENT

The brooch trend isn’t history repeating itself so much as fashion rediscovering a language long dormant. Centuries ago, brooches were symbols of status and identity, dating back to the Bronze Age when genderless “fibulae” used to fasten clothing represented class, politics and religion. Brooches became more ornate in the Byzantine era, encrusted with pearls and gemstones. Edwardian sensibilities embraced floral and botanical pins that often carried sentimental meanings – forget-me-nots for remembrance, roses for love, lilies for purity – turning garments into intimate narratives. The Victorians embraced them too, as fans of The Crown and Bridgerton will note, and popularised “love brooches” to symbolise romantic desire.

Long associated with royalty, Queen Elizabeth II was said to have owned nearly a hundred brooches, favouring floral motifs and regal emblems that spoke without words. Her famous flower basket brooch was gifted to her by her parents on the occasion of King Charles’ birth, symbolising family, lineage and continuity. U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright famously used her lapel pins strategically, wearing specific brooches like diplomatic rhetoric. Her collection can now be viewed at the National Museum of American Diplomacy in Washington.

At this year’s Oscars, watch for subtle stances symbolised by brooches on both women and men, like Mark Ruffalo’s green gemstone botanical brooch that represented his environmental activism. Dutch royalty also weighed in on the trend recently when Queen Máxima (known for her extraordinary jewellery collection) paired an asymmetric dogwood flower brooch by a Spanish designer with a vibrant green dress, a gesture that fused classical beauty with fresh sartorial vigor.

MODERN STYLING

Styling these pieces in 2026 rewards boldness. Instead of merely pinning to a lapel, fashion insiders suggest placing a floral brooch on a denim jacket collar, at the shoulder of a dress or jacket, even on a hat or handbag strap to transform everyday pieces into statement pieces. Brooches stacked vertically on a blazer can echo the cascading petals of a wisteria vine, while a single oversized bloom on a monochrome outfit becomes a sartorial flex. To channel Carrie Bradshaw, pin a big, fluffy purple rosette on a men’s white tank top.

If you’re borrowing from the past to inform the future of your accessory styling, modern tips lean into versatility: a simple cotton shirt can instantly dress up with a delicate flower pin at the placket; a tailored blazer gains personality with mismatched brooch clusters; even knitwear becomes compelling when punctuated by whimsical petals. The current street style ethos embraces de-formalising the brooch – pair it with casual fabrics, disrupt tradition with playful placement, and don’t be afraid to let it draw attention.

For those who want to unearth these treasures rather than buy them new from luxury houses, the hunt for vintage brooches is an adventure in itself. Start with estate sales, antique fairs, and online marketplaces dedicated to vintage jewelry – pieces from mid-century makers or Art Deco floral designs often surface with fascinating backstories. Look for hallmark signatures on the back of pins, research clasp styles to date them (older pieces often have “C” clasps), and don’t overlook costume jewelry makers who produced imaginative floral motifs in decades past. Cleaning and careful polishing can reveal hidden brilliance, and pairing an antique brooch with contemporary clothing (like Dolce and Gabbana is known to do) lends a compelling narrative tension.

Along the way, keep an eye out for storied brooches that carry cultural weight: Cartier’s botanical motifs favoured by celebrities, or vintage signed pieces by Jean Schlumberger that have graced red carpets. These icons aren’t just objects; they’re moments in history. And as brooches reclaim their place in modern fashion conversation, they remind us that what was once old often becomes essential again.