Don't turn your back on love, dress the part for Valentine's Day instead

Photo: Aldo

Valentine’s Day, often referred to as the day of love, is synonymous with romance, vibrant hues of red and pink, flowers and hearts.

These symbols and colours represent deep passion for a significant other, or warm affection for family members and close friends.

On Feb 14 and throughout the month, couples will be gifting each other heart-shaped balloons, chocolates or flowers, which have become motifs central to the fashion, jewellery and beauty industries.

Many brands are have also expanded its collections and campaigns to include loved ones apart from your partner, such as parents, children, friends and pets.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, brands all over the world lean into these timeless symbols of love: hearts, flowers, vibrant red and soft pink with offerings to celebrate the season.

Many brands are have expanded their Valentine's Day campaigns to include loved ones apart from your partner, such as parents, children, friends and pets. Photo: Gucci

Symbols of love

What do cupid’s bow, heart-shaped items and even doves and have in common? They are all used in depictions of romance across industries.

An exchange of gifts between lovers or friends often features items with these motifs, appearing on jewellery, apparel, accessories as well as on perfume and makeup packaging.

But when did these types of products, and Valentine’s Day itself, become commercial – and eventually – profitable?

According to Britannica.com, formal messages, or valentines, appeared in the 1500s, and by the late 1700s, printed cards were being used.

In the mid-1800s, the first commercial valentines in the United States were printed, commonly depicting Cupid, the Roman god of love, along with hearts, traditionally the seat of emotion.

Birds also became a symbol of love because it was thought that the avian mating season begins in mid-February.

The heart shape has been a symbol of love since the 14th century, largely popularised by Italian poet Francesco Barberino, whose work Documenti D’amore featured illustrations of Cupid with heart motifs.

This image began to appear across art and literature as a representation of “courtly love”, and by the 16th century, hearts were firmly established in love’s visual lexicon.

High-end brands release exclusive collections featuring heart-shaped designs each February, tapping into the shape’s enduring appeal of this symbol, encompassing pendants to statement rings, accessories and apparel.

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Flowers are a romantic touch, with fashion houses creating limited-edition pieces for this special season. Photo: Pandora

Colours of affection

Red and pink are inextricable from the idea of Valentine’s Day, appearing in various shades on items of clothing, fashion accessories, shoes and jewellery.

The beginnings of the notion that love depicts romance began as a symbol of fertility.

In Greek mythology, Aphrodite (the goddess of love) was often shown in red robes, as was the Roman goddess Venus, who represented love and beauty.

The Roman feast of Lupercalia, a fertility festival celebrated on Feb 15, is believed to be the precursor to Valentine’s Day, according to historians.

It involved rituals in which the shedding of blood was believed to ward off infertility, creating the connection between red and fertility.

During Valentine’s Day, pink graces everything from heart-shaped accessories to perfumes.

Once a symbol of luxury, in the 18th century, European aristocrats wore soft pinks as a mark of refinement, a hue that symbolised elegance.

By the mid-19th century, pink was more associated with the working class, however in the 1960s, it regained status as a colour of affluence, often worn by icons like Jackie Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe.

Romance in bloom

Flowers are undoubtedly central to Valentine’s Day, with roses, tulips and carnations being gifted in abundance.

Floral patterns also find their way into fashion and jewellery, where they serve as a romantic touch to clothing and accessories, with fashion houses creating limited-edition pieces for this special season.

But the most popular flower during this time is by far, the red rose, with the American Beauty rose reigning as the ultimate choice to gift your soulmate – in the 1800s, it was dubbed the “millionaire’s rose” for its expensive price point.

The tradition of giving roses for Valentine’s Day, according to readersdigest.com, has several origin stories, one which is rooted in Greek mythology.

Some stories tell the tale of Aphrodite being scratched by a white rose’s thorn, causing that rose to turn red, while others say that the first red rose grew where Adonis, her lover, died and the goddess’s tears fell.

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Love on lockdown

A more recent symbol that has begun adorning jewellery products and accessories related to Valentine’s Day is the padlock.

The concept of “love locks” has gained popularity in recent years, with couples attaching locks to bridges or fences in romantic locations, symbolising their supposed unbreakable bond.

Protection and security are also related to locks, driven by the desire for a love that is safe and everlasting.

Take for example, the Lock by Tiffany collection by Tiffany & Co, a range inspired by a padlock from 1883.

The collection is inspired by locks being an expression of love’s enduring protection, and keeping safe what is precious.