The Return of Boho Chic

A sartorial vibe shift is upon us.

They were the wooden heels heard ‘round the fashion world.

In one of the most brilliant PR coups in recent memory, Chemena Kamali showed her first Chloé collection as creative director in February to a stacked front row of Chloé girls—in matching Chloé wedges. From reliable boho babe Sienna Miller to fashion icon Pat Cleveland, Paris Fashion Week regulars sat cross-legged as they watched a parade of ethereal frocks and undone layers breeze down the runway, blissfully unbothered by the identical footwear lining the catwalk. The coordinated effort was so simple, so genius that it was impossible to ignore—and quickly became one of the most talked about events of PFW. Hot takes and Instagram shares flooded feeds everywhere in a fervor of memetic desire. You will soon see me everywhere, the clogs seem to say.

Kamali’s debut was much more than a brilliantly straightforward VIP stunt. Chloé’s Fall/Winter 2024 collection breathed new life into the ‘70s-inspired romance and free-wheeling leatherware the fashion house is known for. The designer’s triumphant return (she started her career at Chloé as an intern and, over the next two decades at the brand, worked under cult favorites including Phoebe Philo and Clare Waight Keller) had all the warmth and depth of a true homecoming. Gold statement pendants and hardware rested on layers of chiffon in earth tones like butter yellow, burnt caramel, and burgundy, so delicious you could eat them. A sheer lace dress in a miniature ditsy floral was distinguished by leather boots that slouched just so. And you could almost hear the gasps all the way from Paris when the show’s final look floated down the runway in a graceful cascade of ruffles.

Kamali’s Chloé was the unexpected and undisputed hit of the season. It was also the most talked about amongst my fashion mutuals. And it’s no wonder why: After a few years of self-consciously luxe stealth wealth collections, this Boho daydream felt like a much-needed antidote to the well-considered—but let’s be honest, boring—quiet luxury trend the industry has foisted upon shoppers. This, it seemed, was how women really wanted to dress. It was the start of a sartorial vibe shift.

Boho is back, baby. And better than ever.

Of course, one gorgeous collection does not a trend make. But if you look closely, Boho baubles and ‘70s silhouettes made their mark all over the runways in February—not just at Chloé. Ralph Lauren showed his most bohemian collection in years, mixing dreamy silks and complex layering with his signature Western flair. At Stella McCartney, the trend took the form of eveningwear so relaxed it dragged, v-cut necklines so deep they’d make Bianca Jagger proud, and faux fur coats so oversized they’d engulf my 5’10” frame like that of an Olsen Twin. Even Loewe veered away from its usual script, making a surprisingly Boho vintage floral print the star of the show.

In fact, the beginnings of Boho’s big return subtly started long before this most recent Fashion Month. Take the all-encompassing, inescapable sheer trend—in hindsight, it was an early harbinger of Boho’s return. As naked dress after naked dress appeared on red carpets and catwalks over the past three years, it was inevitable the see-through gown would go Boho eventually. Freeing the nipple is part and parcel of Boho’s M.O.—after all, the 1970s made bra burning a right of passage.

Accessories are trending loose and liberated, too. There’s no denying the big bag renaissance is fully upon us after years of teeny, tiny micro purses capturing our collective fancy. Chloé’s take on the giant purse saw a mini-dress-clad model cart around an unstructured shoulder bag that reached past her knees. Balenciaga’s slouchy Rodeo purse, which has an intentionally worn, broken-in feel that only gets better with time, was the only It bag on fashion search engine Lyst’s Hottest Products for Q1 of 2024—and the sixth most-coveted item overall. On a personal note, I haven’t stopped thinking about Miuccia Prada’s manically overstuffed totes brimming with girl-world ephemera since she sent them down the runway in February in a moment of brutal honesty.

Even the much-maligned statement necklace can’t remain forever embalmed in millennial minds as a vestige of the mid-2000s business-casual-at-the-club fashion craze. It’s back in a major way—this time with a chic Boho twist. Think gold statement pendants, as seen at Saint Laurent or an oversized sunbeam bib peeking out of a distressed denim jacket, like the one shown at Schiaparelli. And don’t forget big shiny belt buckles galore at Ralph Lauren, where the accessory showed up in 22 of 45 looks.

The red carpet is succumbing to Boho domination, too. Sienna Miller, Zoe Saldana, Greta Gerwig, and Emma Mackey—basically, the Mount Rushmore of Boho babes—accompanied Kamali to the Met Gala wearing hot-off-the-runway Chloé gowns whose relaxed neutrals and vintage-inspired lace stood out in a sea of spring florals. Fashion darling Jodie Turner-Smith has been on a bit of a Boho tour, as well. In the past month alone, she’s worn a plunging, sleeveless oxblood gown (whose easy silhouette could only be described as Halston-coded), a white flower- and feathers-covered disco-era halter dress, and a gold fringe caftan paired with a (gasp!) fashion fedora.

Even Bella Hadid, the reigning queen of bringing runway trends to the streets just minutes before they break into the mainstream, has returned to public life after a months-long hiatus to promote her new fragrance brand with a fresh new Boho perspective. It all started with a decidedly Boho nude number, complete with fringe trim, worn out in NYC on May 1. She followed it with a magical lace look featuring a ruffled asymmetrical hemline and sheer corset panel the following day. And, of course, the fashion tour wouldn’t be complete without a pink watercolor floral caftan worthy of any Bohemian model-off-duty for lunch in the West Village on May 4.

Off the red carpet, Boho is slowly but surely picking up steam. Depop’s in-house trend specialist, Agus Panzoni, predicts “romantic summer” will emerge as one of the hottest looks during 2024’s hotter months, citing tiered skirts and gold accessories as It items. Plus, according to data shared by the Gen Z-loved resaler, Chloe has already seen a 55 percent increase in searches since the beginning of the year. Anecdotally, I counted no less than 15 denim vests and tiered prairie skirt outfits in an hour spent people-watching at Coachella this April. Since festival fashion is like a crystal ball for what everyone will be wearing come summer, I’d put money on that outfit formula cropping up everywhere soon.

Boho is definitely happening, but what sets this trend apart from standard fashion fare (besides its unique POV and unmistakable visual markers) is longevity. This is not a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it TikTok moment. Boho will never inspire the fervor of a quippy niche fashion aesthetic like, say, Mob Wife Winter or Coastal Grandma Summer. Boho’s comeback is set to be a slow burn rather than a flash in the pan.

It’s worth mentioning the style never really went away. Since its mid-aughts peak, there’s been a steady trickle of boho-forward brands doing their boho thing regardless of social media fads. I have no doubt at least one Instagram commenter will read this article and reply, “I never stopped doing Boho.” It’s a forever style, to be sure, that, regardless of its current bandwagon status, will never fully fade from view.

Case in point: the California-based label Dôen. The brand has offered a dependable drip of airy dresses, undone layering, and artfully faded prints since its inception in 2016, but it’s certainly having a moment in 2024. While its ranks of mother-goddess fans haven’t diminished, it’s finally hit the threshold of widespread appeal with a buzzy Gap collab that sold out in minutes last month.

Designer Ulla Johson can also attest to Boho’s staying power. The brand’s free-spirited wares have kept it successful and independent for more than two decades. And the line continues to expand and innovate despite its many years in the business. In 2024, Johnson embraced gender neutrality, sending men and women down the runway for the first time in feminized suits and pieces that embody a softened masculinity. She’s been channeling her Boho Princess sensibility for years, and that’s unlikely to change whether or not the style has buzz.

But, the return of this charmingly makeshift look and unabashed femininity implies there was, indeed, a hole in the market. We needed this—"this” being a return to the breezy, easy way of dressing that the Boho aesthetic was more than happy to provide.

And if you’re a believer in the 20-year trend cycle, Boho’s return is just about on time. The mid-aughts’ sensibility is seeping into the culture again. Sofia Coppola is the Internet’s favorite director. Conversations around girlhood and femininity are back sartorially and philosophically. Boho’s best fashion friend, Western wear, is dominant (thank you, Beyoncé) across industries. The most famous woman in the world, Taylor Swift, and her very recent, very public ventures have a distinctly Boho flavor, thanks to the dark romance of her new Tortured Poets album and penchant for wearing billowing dresses, ruffles, and bell sleeves on stage. Even the patron saint of Boho, celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe, is back in the discourse. The Rachel Zoe Project, a 2008 Bravo reality show that documents her famous fashion wrangling at its peak, just became available to stream on Peacock, and style fanatics everywhere are rediscovering her love for chunky rings, oversized silhouettes, and bold pattern play.

So, ready or not, it’s time to whip out those floppy hats, dust off that slouchy tote, and embrace your inner free spirit. Because it’s about to be a Big Boho Summer.

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