In 2025, we’re seeing a major surge of interest in castlecore and the rococo revival - styles that look like they’ve stepped right out of 18th-century portraits or fantasy series filled with dragons and knights. But why now? Is this just nostalgia, or a rebellion against the cold rationality of minimalism? Let’s take a closer look at what’s coming back - and what these trends are really saying about us today.
The fascination with castlecore and rococo revival isn’t just about romanticizing the past. It’s a response - maybe even a quiet protest - to the hyper-efficient, tech-driven, and often emotionally detached world we live in. In an era dominated by functionality, minimalism, and digital aesthetics, the return of lavish silhouettes, ornate fabrics, lace, corsets, and decorative excess feels like an act of escapism - a longing for a world where beauty was the point, not a side effect.
Selkie Fall 2025
Rococo revival taps into an era where fashion and art were a performance - life itself was theatrical. Today, this aesthetic is being reimagined with a postmodern twist: think Marie Antoinette-inspired gowns worn with chunky platform boots, or baroque hairstyles paired with neon makeup. It’s a playful remix of past and present - a dialogue between centuries.
Pop culture is playing a huge role in reviving this aesthetic. The series Bridgerton, for example, became a catalyst for the renewed fascination with romantic, old-world fashion. Its pastel palettes, intricate fabrics, corsets, jewels, and dreamy hairdos sparked a full-blown wave of Regencycore, which naturally flows into the broader rococo revival. Meanwhile, shows like House of the Dragon and The Witcher have popularized castlecore - serving up a compelling vision of medieval fantasy, filled with knights, gothic castles, armor, and dramatic cloaks. These looks are back - not as historical reenactment, but as tools for self-expression. Everyone gets to be the hero of their own fairytale or epic drama.
Castlecore, for its part, stems from a romanticized idea of the medieval world - a deep love for nature, craftsmanship, moody interiors, voluminous clothing, and the dream of a slower, more grounded life. This trend speaks to a quiet rebellion against hustle culture and digital chaos. People are yearning for something tangible, textured, and real.
Over the past two decades, we’ve seen historical fashion reimagined on the runway:
Moschino Fall 2020
Dolce & Gabbana Fall 2012
Christian Dior Fall Couture 2006
Balenciaga Fall Couture 2023
Chanel Cruise 2013
We can’t ignore the social context either. After a wave of global crises - pandemics, wars, economic instability - there’s a collective craving for emotional comfort. People want to build their own magical worlds, spaces that feel safe, imaginative, and under their control. Castlecore and rococo offer a kind of armor - aesthetic, yes, but protective nonetheless - against the harshness of reality.
So, these trends aren’t just about fashion. They’re reflections of deeper cultural shifts. They’re new ways of expressing identity, of regulating our inner worlds. We’re turning to the past - not to escape the present, but to reshape it on our own terms.
