Let Them Wear Rococo! Paris Fashion Week Embraces the Spirit of Marie Antoinette
By Alexus Mosley
Let them wear Rococo! One thing Marie Antoinette understood was the art of dressing extravagantly. The French Queen was famous for her elaborate gowns, towering hairstyles, and an appetite for luxury that made her one of history’s most fascinating fashion figures. More than two centuries later, her influence still finds its way back into the wardrobes of fashionable women, and this season, Paris Fashion Week was positively flirting with the excesses of Versailles.
For Spring/Summer 2027, designers embraced a romantic assortment of ruffles, lace, brocade, floral prints and decorative embellishments that recalled the lavish fashions of 18th-century France. François Boucher’s 1753 oil painting “Spring (Le Printemps)” inspired Vivienne Westwood’s limited-edition capsule appropriately named The Spring Cherubs. Acne Studios’ Jonny Johansson blended Rococo periods and New Romantic aesthetics, while American designer Daniel Roseberry traded surrealism for ruffles, cinched waists, and delicate lace at Schiaparelli. And in a particularly fabulous coincidence, this revival arrives just as Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette celebrates its 20th anniversary. Suddenly, fashion’s fascination with the French court feels especially appropriate.
Vivienne Westwood Spring/Summer 2027
Photo Credit: Victor Virgile
Of course, the connection between Rococo fashion and Marie Antoinette extends far beyond Sofia Coppola’s candy-colored interpretation of Versailles. Marie Antoinette may not have invented Rococo fashion, but few historical figures have become more synonymous with its extravagant spirit. With the help of her celebrated dressmaker Rose Bertin, the queen cultivated a wardrobe that helped establish her reputation as an influential, if controversial, fashion figure.
Fortunately, embracing Rococo in 2026 doesn’t require a powdered wig or a palace. Perhaps that’s the real appeal of the Rococo revival. It isn’t about dressing like an 18th-century aristocrat, but borrowing a little of the era’s enthusiasm for beauty, imagination, and self-expression.
Acne Studios Spring/Summer 2027
Photo Credit: Launchmetrics Spotlight
Marie Antoinette may never have walked a runway, but more than two centuries after her reign, the spirit of her extravagant wardrobe continues to inspire fashion’s most creative minds.
So bring on the brocade, pile on the pearls, and make room for a few more ruffles. After all, when it comes to fashion, sometimes more really is more.