As I said in Tuesday’s post, boho has hit the big time, in both home decor and fashion design. It’s not that EVERYTHING is boho, of course, but it’s showing up more and more where you least expect it. In fact, in my mind, home décor trends influenced a lot of what’s sashayed down the runways this fashion week season, rather than the other way around.
You only have to look to last year to see my point. Caroline Herrera showed a splash of designs in pale pink, Rose Quartz was named 2016 Pantone color of the year, and the pastel shade had a very brief hiatus as a hot home décor shade. By the onset of summer, most everyone was tired of seeing it, and interior designers and publications were pulling out bright colors and moody darks. Now spring 2017 fashions are following suit—many fewer pastels and many more moody darks than what seems (to me anyway) seasonal.
From the MILAN runways…
Rossella Jardini collection
![]() |
Photo courtesy of Rossella Jardini via Vogue / Lina Eidenberg Adamo photo via Yellow House on the Beach |
With a name like Jardini you have to throw in at least a few florals in every collection, right? Florals speak to one trend in interior design, tiers and ruffles make it gypsy-boho and speak to another, and the moody evergreen background speaks to a third. I saw LOTS and lots of gypsy boho in both NY and Milan collections. In the 1960s and 70s we called these “granny gowns,” but now that I’m granny age (though NOT a grandmother) they look forever youthful and romantic.
Roberto Cavalli collection
![]() |
Yannis Vlamos photo via Vogue / Lisa Cohen photo via Swoonworthy |
More dark moody tones on the model and in the living room shown. The outfit is very boho, while the living room is eclectic, comfy, and layered with texture and color. Who doesn’t love a purple velvet sofa? And both runway and room get it right by pairing purple with its yellow complement.
Marco de Vincenzo collection
![]() |
Marcus Tondo photo via Vogue / William Abranowitz via Elle Decor |
Emerald green kitchens with bright brass hardware are all the rage, probably due in large part to this one Kelly Wearstler designed for the Manhattan apartment of actress Cameron Diaz. The kitchen’s been around long enough to make me think it spawned the dress. The garment itself isn’t one of my favorites, but it sure nails this decorating trend.
Gucci collection
![]() |
Yannis Vlamos photo via Vogue / Jotun via Fixaodona |
Still more dark moodies for spring (and more to come!) with Gucci’s jellyfish dress. The exaggerated Peter Pan collar and matching cuffs give a whimsical outfit some grounding in reality. Likewise, the interior shown here is clean and precise, but a fitting example of a deep dive into a sea of color.
For Restless Sleepers collection
![]() |
Photo courtesy of For Restless Sleepers via Vogue / M. Design Interiors photo |
Leaves of all sorts have been gaining momentum in interior design, especially in wallcoverings and textiles. It’s just one small part of the building back-to-nature trend that has us moving closer to the great outdoors (as long as we don’t have to give up any of our creature comforts). For Restless Sleepers showed a number of robes in leaf patterns perfectly suitable for your next glamping experience, and other designers showed sportswear in leaf-laden fabric.
Dolce & Gabbana collection
![]() |
Yannis Vlamos photo via Vogue / Richard Powers Interiors Photography |
I call this trend “Cabinet of Wonders” because it’s very like the Victorian collector’s shelf/cupboard/ tray/cloche/glass box/wall of found items. And collection-inspired vignettes, sometimes as three-dimensional gallery walls, are all the rage in interiors. Fashion is catching on to this slowly, though D&G is always big on fanciful embellishment.
Etro collection
![]() |
Kim Westin Arnold photo via Vogue / Design by Brian Patrick Flynn photo via HGTV |
From the LONDON runways…
Roksanda collection
![]() |
Luca Tombolini photo via Vogue / Marcus Design photo |
I was less inspired by the London runways, an issue for me in the spring as well when viewing collections for this fall. But this dress certainly had nothing to do with that! It’s gorgeous!! I want it!!!
Black and white remains big in both the fashion and interiors world. But what’s different here? It’s the geometry, in my mind, and that’s an interior design trend. The dress mimics the lines of the hallway, black crossing at the door, which itself has a diamond-shaped window, which calls to mind the V-neck and -skirtline. Roksanda has mixed in a fun print, which reminds me a bit of marbling and a bit of painterly squiggles.
Either way, I love the lines of this dress and the beautiful detailing of the sleeves. Now if only I had somewhere to wear it…
Mary Katrantzhou collection
![]() |
Kim Westin Arnold photo via Vogue / Megan Morton photo via We Are Scout |
Not black-and-white on its own, but another neutral—a bronzy brown—warms up a midnight evening suit and a dark bedroom. Embellishment on both the jacket and the skirt is striking. Who said you can’t mix these two favorite neutrals? Not Mary Katrantzhou and certainly not I.
Markus Lupfer collection
![]() |
Photo courtesy of Markus Lupfer via Vogue / House Beautiful |
Global appeal is definitely apparent in this outfit and its paired living room. Don’t you just love the tiger wallhanging and the painted dado rail in this Miami home by Gene Meyer and Frank De Biasi? And those curtains are so ethereal with the light streaming through!
The traveler’s/safari look was apparent in many collections, both impeccably tailored and loosely so, as in this more boho example.
Julien Macdonald collection
![]() |
Umberto Fratini photo via Vogue / Anthropologie |
As I said before, black and white is classic, but wow, look at these patterns! Inky pattern paintings, like the one over the sofa, have been big in interiors for some time, and similar jackets embellished in gold have popped up on the runways before. But Anthropologie only just introduced this sofa that mimics them both, and this is the first jacket I’ve seen embellished in white metal tones.
Huishan Zhang collection
![]() |
Photo courtesy of Huishan Zhang via Vogue / Via Patchwork Harmony |
Doesn’t this coat remind you of a Moroccan wedding blanket? Yes, its texture comes from feathers rather than wool tufts, but compare it to the wedding-blanket rug at right. They’re twins! I guess interior design can’t exactly take credit for the design. After all, nomadic tribes have been making these blankets for centuries. But interior design made them really BIG, right? And THEN this coat happened along.
I’m not complaining, mind you. All ideas go back and forth and around and around. It’s fascinating to see something interpreted in a totally different medium and made new yet again. That’s why design is so fascinating!
If you want more…
- Check out my Tuesday post on New York Fashion Week runway-to-room pairings.
- In my Thursday post, tour the homes of two fashion designers—Christian Siriano and Trina Turk—and see their latest collections alongside their living space.
- Check back next Tuesday, Oct. 4, for my Paris Fashion Week wrap-up.
- Follow the links in each heading to browse that designer’s full collection.
- See all the spring/summer 2017 collections at Vogue.
- Follow my blog with Bloglovin or subscribe through email using one of the services at the bottom of the page.