FALL’S NEW BOHEMIAN ATTITUDE

BY BOOTH MOORE

Chloé, Zimmermann, Saint Laurent and others are bringing the historic look into the here and now.

September 24, 2025

Zimmermann

Last year, quiet luxury had all but taken over thanks to the stealth wealth style of Succession and the understated elegance of It girl Sofia Richie Grainge.

Then along came Chemena Kamali, who shocked the fashion system with her first collection for the French label Chloé, which was resplendent with boho ruffles, billowing chiffon dresses, slick statement capes, fringed leather and chubby furs.

Chloé

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SOUTH COAST PLAZA

THE BOHO TREND EDIT

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It was a spirit not seen since the early 2000s, when Sienna Miller, Kate Moss, Nicole Richie and others were boho chic queens, emulating Anita Pallenberg, Marianne Faithful, Stevie Nicks and others like them that came decades before.

Boho has continued to blossom in this fall’s collections, in Chloé’s influential lingerie layers, 1970s-inspired leather skirts, statement chunky heeled Mary Jane shoes, and the return of the iconic, circa 2005 padlock Paddington bag.

Indeed, few styles have been as enduring—or as endlessly reinvented—as bohemian fashion. What began as a social movement in early 19th century Paris has become a perennial source of inspiration for designers, celebrities, and festival goers.

Chloé

The first bohemians were writers and artists who rejected bourgeois society in favor of unconventional living. Their style, borrowing from European folk traditions, was loose, layered, and defiantly unpolished.

By the 1920s, the bohemian look had started to influence fashion circles led by trailblazing French designer Paul Poiret, who is currently the subject of the exhibition Paul Poiret: Fashion is a Feast at Le Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. The couturier best remembered for liberating women from tight corsets, was famous for his soft, unstructured garments inspired by global cultures, including harem pants, which are a key piece in Zimmermann’s fall collection, in silk paisley prints or sheer lace.

The 20^th century ushered in a new era, with the 1960s counterculture revolution cementing bohemian fashion in the mainstream. Rock ‘n’ roll stars and hippies championed bellbottoms, peasant blouses and fringed suede, fusing global influences with a message of peace and love. Camilla’s new high waist Jenna flared jeans with embroidery inspired by the souks of Instanbul, fits that mood.

By the 1970s, Yves Saint Laurent, Thea Porter and indeed Chloé, which was being designed by Karl Lagerfeld at the time, were bringing peasant blouses, diaphanous dresses, folkloric embroidery and beading to the runways, creating a rich hippie style that resonated in the 1990s designs of Roberto Cavalli, Etro and Tom Ford.

Today’s designers continue to reimagine boho. Haute bohemians who nabbed tickets for next year’s Coachella Art & Music Festival may want to invest now in Valentino’s charming beaded floral peasant blouse, paisley tassel miniskirt and studded suede fringe crossbody bag.

Floaty maxi-dresses and blouses abound from Zimmermann, Saint Laurent and others, and are best when contrasted with sturdy leather accessories like Jimmy Choo’s embroidered platform clogs, Khaite’s weathered Clive boots, or Coach’s Kisslock Frame bag.

But more than any piece, bohemian fashion is an attitude, a rejection of conformity, and a celebration of individuality. That’s why, decade after decade, it never truly goes out of style.