Y2K Style Rosette Appliques Are A Major Trend For 2023

While the design is associated with the early aughts style and prom dresses of the Betsey Johnson era, rosettes have been a part of fashion for a long time. In the 17th century, fabric roses were sewn onto women’s and men’s shoes as decoration and a sign of high social and economic status, according to Summer Ann Lee, a fashion historian and adjunct professor at Wagner College. However, throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, rosettes became increasingly associated with women’s fashion. “[Rosettes] symbolize femininity, love and beauty,” says Lee. “They’re associated with this youthful prime of your life. They’re also so ephemeral, like all flowers. Having an artificial flower that never dies is something that’s very precious to people.”