Boho Delux Collection

The inspiration behind the Boho Delux Collection.

The Romantics and French Bohemians

Towards the middle of the 19th century, the Romantics (intellectuals who identified with the Romantic art of the era) became associated with the French Bohemians. The groups started incorporating flowy garments, oriental-inspired clothing, medieval elements and colorful materials in their looks, as well as gypsy-inspired accessories and hair, old coats and distressed fabrics. While appreciated by many at the time, these details were all very different from the mainstream fashions of the era.

History of Bohemian Style

Bohemian style is defined as an alternative type of fashion, different from the mainstream trends of any given period in time. In fact, this exact definition applies to the entire history of the trend. Over 200 years ago, bohemian was a term referred to an exotic style sense, usually associated with the artists of the time, as well as with writers and certain eccentric intellectuals.   

The Beginnings

The first mention of the Bohemians dates at the end of the 18th century, during the time of the French Revolution. Back then, due to the social and economic climate, artists and creatives alike were forced to a life of poverty. As a result, the artists of the time started wearing used and old clothing. Soon after, once the economic climate stabilized, artists began expressing their creative side more through clothing – and more often than not, in eccentric and highly artistic ways. 

The general perception of the era was that artists dressed similarly to nomadic gypsies, who had their origins in the Balkan area of Eastern Europe, in a region called Bohemia. As a result, ‘bohemian’ became synonym with a culture, or, better said, counterculture, associated with creativity, artistic expression, as well as disregard to social constructs and mainstream aesthetics.