Who doesn’t love a floral print dress? Floral prints have been a popular fashion trend throughout history, with evidence of floral patterns dating back to ancient civilizations such as the Greeks and Romans.
In the 12th century, the Chhipa community of Rajasthan began using block printing to create intricate floral designs on cotton fabrics. From the Mughal era in India (16th century), block printing flourished and became a popular form of textile decoration. The Mughal rulers were known for their love of gardens and flowers and were some of the first adopters of floral print fashion.
When block printing came to Europe through trade routes with India and China, it became highly sought after for its intricate floral designs and vibrant colors. It coincided with floral prints becoming a prominent feature in fashion. The Rococo style - in particular - which included intricate floral designs on clothing, particularly dresses, and décor. Consequently, block printing floral designs became popular among European nobility and upper classes for it's ability to create more complex prints.
In the 19th century, floral prints became even more popular, particularly during the Victorian era. Women's fashion featured elaborate floral patterns on dresses, skirts, and accessories, often with a focus on naturalistic designs such as roses, daisies, and other garden flowers.
The cotton dress soon became a fashionable item of clothing for women in the Western world, and block printed cotton became a symbol of exoticism and luxury.
The popularity of block printing continued to grow throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, and it eventually became an important part of the European textile industry. Today, block printing is still used in Europe and other parts of the world, and it remains a beautiful and popular way to create beautiful and stylish floral printed fashion.