21
21
After the goth era, romanticism is taking over in 2026
In 2026, romance will take center stage. Among the success of romantic comedies and the releases of the film Wuthering Heights and the series Bridgerton, romanticism is moving away from overly saccharine imagery to take on a more Gothic aesthetic.
By Violaine Schütz,
and Ambra Flora.
Published on 11 February 2026. Updated on 21 April 2026.
The return of Regencycore with Bridgerton
According to the Instagram account @databutmakeitfashion, searches associated with the term “romance” have increased by 27% over the past five years. Figures that go hand in hand with the waning interest in sex among Gen Z, according to several recent studies. With the new season of the Netflix show Bridgerton released in 2026, “regencycore” fully embodies this movement. The trend could once again win over a large audience.
This aesthetic draws its inspiration from the opulence of the English Regency period, which spanned from 1811 to 1820. It involves the reinterpretation and modernization of 19th-century aristocratic clothing. On TikTok and Instagram, content creators are sporting empire dresses, puffed sleeves, velvet, long gloves, ribbons, feathers and pearls. The color palette often leans toward soft pastels and overtly romantic hues. All details that will appeal to admirers of Jane Austen and Emily Brontë.
The reopening of the Musée de la Vie romantique in Paris
On Valentine’s Day this year, the Musée de la Vie romantique in Paris reopened its doors after more than a year of renovation work. A symbolic date for this institution devoted to the exaltation of emotions and the legacy of Romanticism. Inside the former residence of the painter Ary Scheffer (1795–1858), a central figure of the movement, the building was a true artistic and intellectual hub. George Sand, Frédéric Chopin, Pauline Viardot and Eugène Delacroix used to meet there in the 19th century.
The museum created a new visitor route for a deeper understanding of the many facets of Romanticism. The ground floor highlights the major figures associated with the house. As for the upper floor, it explores nature, emotion, literature and fantasy. Four key themes that uncover the links between painting, music and writing. To mark its reopening, the museum is also opening a temporary exhibition, Face au ciel, Paul Huet en son temps, until August 30th, 2026.
A wave of romcoms
A renewed interest in romantic comedies has emerged over the past few years. In 2025, Celine Song’s beautiful feature Materialists reinvented the modern romcom. 2026 is shaping up to be a year steeped in romance. A long list of films uses love as their main topic. Available on Netflix, People We Meet On Vacation sets the tone and uses the genre’s emblematic topics — enemies-to-lovers, misunderstandings, friendship turning into love, passion…
Disney+ unveiled a series about two tragic lovers, John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, in Love Story. The sentimental trend continues with a wave of sequels and revivals in the works, starting with My Best Friend’s Wedding 2, directed by the brilliant Celine Song. One can only hope that Julia Roberts will once again embody Julianne.
Among the films you need to add to your watch list is the sequel to the cult Christmas romcom The Holiday. This new narrative takes shape nearly twenty years after the original film, starring Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law and Jack Black. Finally, Dirty Dancing will make its grand comeback with the original actress Jennifer Grey reprising her role.
Hamnet, Wuthering Heights… Stories of passionate love on screen
Following in the footsteps of romances like Gone with the Wind, Titanic and Romeo + Juliet, 2026 brings lyrical, passionate and ill-fated love stories to the screen. First, Chloé Zhao’s film Hamnet, which tells the love story between William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and his wife, Agnes Shakespeare (Jessie Buckley), shattered by a family tragedy. In February, a film adaptation of Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel Wuthering Heights portrayed the doomed romance between two tormented protagonists played by Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi.
However, this film is not for the faint-hearted, nor can be qualified as a “new romance.” Director Emerald Fennell shared more details about her feature during a press conference in Paris: “My references were filmmakers like Ken Russell, Derek Jarman and Peter Greenaway, and all those who create subversive, dark and fascinating works, but also ones of great beauty. I feel there’s a current trend suggesting that beauty is somehow superfluous in cinema. I don’t agree with that. For me, what matters is provoking my own emotional response. (…) Whether it’s the casting, the music or the costumes, there has to be a certain tension, an interest, a distinctive element for me to truly invest in it.”
Another epic adventure? On September 23rd, 2026, Deva Cassel, Julien De Saint-Jean and Romain Duris will star in a new adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera. The original French novel written by Gaston Leroux was published in 1910. The premise of this romantic, unsettling and tragic story? “In present-day Paris, Anastasia, a young dancer, joins the prestigious Paris Opera. While rehearsing Orpheus, a cursed opera said to have been composed by the Phantom of the Opera, she falls in love with a mysterious pianist. As opening night approaches, amid unexplained accidents and troubling revelations, Anastasia finds herself caught in an impossible love story, on the border between reality and the fantastical.”
Lace, powder pink… Charli xcx’s new artistic direction
Regarding fashion, romanticism has also been palpable in the latest Chanel and Dior shows. It is taking hold of music as well. From superstar Sabrina Carpenter‘s coquette looks to Madison Beer‘s heart-shaped locket for the album cover for Locket (2026), and Lana Del Rey‘s princess-meets-50s-pin-up allure… All draw from a romantic aesthetic.
More surprisingly, Charli xcx has recently joined the ranks of modern fairy-tale heroines for the soundtrack of Wuthering Heights (2026). In her new promotional images, she abandons her Brat aesthetic — black leather, neon green, micro-shorts, boots. She now poses in a pink-and-white lace dress in the middle of a forest. Quite a Gothic take on Little House on the Prairie. Just like Margot Robbie, who appeared sensational for the promotional tour for the film. In 2026, romanticism does flirt with Gothic style.
Musée de la Vie romantique, 16 Rue Chaptal, 75009 Paris, reopenogn on February 14th, 2026.
