The New Bohemian
With
Alek Wek
Sunset shades, elegant draping and sculptural silhouettes define a fresh take on free-spirited dressing, says LAURA JORDAN. Ease into spring and embrace the season’s boho mood with voluminous pants, sensuous skirts, warm-weather leather and cool confident prints by Jil Sander, Alaïa, Magda Butrym, Dries Van Noten and more – showcased here by model ALEK WEK
Last September, on New York’s Upper East Side, guests gathered at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum to view art of a different medium to that which the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building is normally associated. This time, the space set the scene for the unveiling of the Spring 2025 Alaïa collection; the first ever fashion show to be held there. Models including Mona Tougaard, Kendall Jenner and Vittoria Ceretti slinked their way down its iconic rotunda, their sleek and sculptural clothes the perfect companion to the curved lines of the architectural masterpiece.
One word that probably wouldn’t automatically spring to mind to describe the collection is ‘boho’ (strong, geometric, modern, chic are all more obvious contenders) – its striking clean lines the antithesis of the frilly, frou-frou nature of the boho look as we commonly know it.
But look closer and there is something of the modern bohemian to both the Alaïa look and attitude. According to the show notes the collection “evokes a sense of American sportswear, with its ease and practicality. A purity, an idea of freedom, of body and of spirit”. And what could be more bohemian really than freedom?
This spring, a clean, almost architectural recontextualization of boho is emerging. It’s still got sensuality by the bucketload, and that swish of barefoot glamour, but it’s executed with a more minimally minded sensualism. Scorched block colors, languid draping and chunky gold jewelry lead the way for a fresh new take. Boho mainstays – ruffles and fringing, for example – remain, but are carried off with a newly pared-back confidence. For reference, look to the likes of Elsa Peretti, Bianca Jagger and Marisa Berenson in liquid stretch dresses in the 1970s. And how to wear it now? In PORTER’s cover shoot, supermodel Alek Wek epitomizes the mood. Here, we decode the key pieces and styling tricks to know for mastering the modern-bohemian look.
“Alaïa’s TAPERED pants and matching BANDEAU bra are among my top picks for the SEASON – and guaranteed to make a statement”
Marquessa Whyte, senior fashion editor, NET-A-PORTER
Turn up the volume
“Alaïa’s tapered pants and matching bandeau bra are among my top picks for the season. Crafted from lightweight, breathable dark-brown crepe, and expertly pleated to accentuate its shape and movement, this outfit is guaranteed to make a statement,” says NET-A-PORTER’s senior fashion editor Marquessa Whyte, who styled this PORTER shoot. “Despite its structured silhouette, this look is unexpectedly lightweight, making it effortless to move and dance in – ideal for a warm summer’s evening. The tapered pants and exquisite draping provide a modern twist on classic bohemian summer style.” And how would she wear it IRL? “To a chic summer evening event, pairing it with bold, gold earrings and either pointed mules or sleek barely-there black sandals.”
Golden touch
Simple yet effective, a glint of gold jewelry taps straight into the new bohemian mood. As Completedworks’ Anna Jewsbury – known for her instinctive, organic pieces – remarks: “Summer is a great time for a more relaxed, modern aesthetic. There’s something perfect about the metallic expression of gold jewelry in the bright sunlight and the joy it brings. The more sculptural and chunkier the better.” Molten earrings and jangly cuffs are the perfect starting point.
Sarong is right
When you can’t be on the beach, bring the beach to you… Or at least nod to the relaxed sensibility of those endless summer days. The tilted hem and ruching of Magda Butrym’s jersey skirt calls to mind the lines of a sarong, nonchalantly tied around the waist. Vacation still a while off? Embrace the red-hot hue now by wearing it with the matching top to an evening event – and when the time comes, style it with your favorite bikini top, sandals and sandy hair.
“Summer is a GREAT time for a more relaxed, modern aesthetic. There’s something PERFECT about the metallic expression of gold jewelry in the bright SUNLIGHT and the joy it brings”
Anna Jewsbury, creative director, Completedworks
Print prowess
More likely to be spotted taking the subway than gambolling around a meadow barefoot, this spring’s woman largely ditches the pretty and delicate poesy prints of bucolic-boho iterations. But, although on the whole she favours bold, block colors, there is still a place for prints – done right. Opt for painterly splashes, such as Dries Van Noten’s magnified, semi-abstracted orchid print, which blooms across fluid satin separates. Think seductively strong rather than overly sweet.
Warm-weather leather
While it’s lovely to dream of whiling away long days on a beach, the bohemian woman of now also has work to do. For her? Butter soft leather in striking, sculptural proportions. At Dries Van Noten, ruffles are reinterpreted with a modern feel on a generously cut leather jacket. A masterclass in tough luxe dressing.
Before sunset
NET-A-PORTER’s head of fashion content, Gillian Brett, loves the return of boho but finds “making the transition from my mostly minimal, a-bit-boyish look to ruffled blouses and floral prints can feel like quite a style 180”. One place she has found the trend works for her is in the scorched desert shades that frame this summer’s closets – from sandy golds to sunset pinks. See also the evocative saffron shade of this Bottega Veneta dress, part of creative director Matthieu Blazy’s final collection for the house. “The collection was inspired by childhood wonder – and it does feel like, as we grow up, we tend to cast aside color in favor of a uniform of black and neutrals,” says Brett. “Summertime feels like the perfect opportunity to reintroduce playful color into my closet – and this shoot really shows off the beautiful movement and exquisite draping of this dress. It’s one that I’ll definitely be taking out dancing on balmy evenings with a kitten heel and sculptural gold earrings.”
“Summertime FEELS like the perfect opportunity to reintroduce playful COLOR into my closet… this shoot really shows off the beautiful movement and exquisite DRAPING of this Bottega Veneta dress”
Gillian Brett, head of fashion content, NET-A-PORTER
Neutral gear
A swish of Toteme’s cool Scandinavian restraint is pitch-perfect for now. An ecru-colored maxi dress is feminine without being overtly flirtatious. In a sleek, stretch-jersey fabric and with a pretty yet polished silhouette, it quietly commands attention for day or night.