New Delhi, Jan. 2 -- Botanicals have long inspired fashion designers to craft collections rich with blooms, leaves, vines and trees - represented either as abstract prints, intricate embroideries, appliques or sculptural extensions. Considered symbols of femininity, rebellion and romance in the 20th century, botanicals today reflect fashion that is more intentional and slow. As elaborate three-dimensional couture outfits such as designer Matthieu Blazy's or designer Rahul Mishra's prove, nature holds a bounty of stories waiting to be woven on fabric. This year, as consumers seek longevity and meaning in what they buy, botanicals, with their cyclical symbolism and universal appeal, are going to be an enduring trend. And Lounge's fashion ed...