The brooch is back! Quiet statements of luxury are slowly beginning to infiltrate the fashion scene, elevating everything from sharply tailored outfits to flowing maxi slip dresses with an added flourish of character and elegance.
Iâm beginning to wonder whether the brooches grand return has emerged, in part, as a response to the craze of print dominance that defined the 2025 fashion landscape. From a fashion climate largely driven by bold, vibrant looks to one of increasingly understated decadence, we are witnessing a shift towards minimalist maximalism. Instead of pairing together garments that are individually loud, designers are channelling expression more precisely by concentrating visual impact through more intentional details.
Autumn/Winter 26 collections saw an influx of brooches, notably by the likes of Chanel, Ralph Lauren, Tory Burch and Khaite. Historically, the brooch dates to the Bronze Age, but as we all know, fashion trends always circle back and reinvent themselves in contemporary society. Regardless of their current resurgence as a trend on the catwalk, I strongly feel that brooches have the potential to transcend âtrend statusâ and reclaim their place as timeless emblems of elegance and refinement.
Awards shows have been brimming with brooches this year, cementing the accessory’s status as a defining talking point in the 2026 fashion climate. Their resurgence has been particularly prominent in menswear, with the 2026 Golden Globes seeing the likes of Patrick Schwarzenegger, Connor Storrie, Orlando Bloom, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, among countless others, incorporating eye-catching brooches into their red carpet outfits. The trend continued at the 2026 Oscars, where celebrities including Adrien Brody and Michael B. Jordan were photographed sporting the accessory, both looking particularly fabulous, might I add. Emma DâArcy and Coleman Domingo were among those embracing brooches at the 2026 Emmys, while celebrities including A$AP Rocky and Jon Batiste offered their own take on the brooch accessory at the 2026 Met Gala.
The sheer diversity of looks punctuated by brooches throughout the year speaks to the accessoryâs versatility. No longer confined to a specific gender or garment, the brooch is asserting itself confidently as a gender-fluid adornment, equally popular in both menswear and womenswear.