Bohemian Modern: An Introduction

There’s something quite special happening in the world of design – designers of textiles, interiors, fashion and shop owners are making a turn from focusing on the mass-produced, everyman products to a more caring approach where they control the production without compromising the quality.

We’re seeing more and more one-of-a-kind pieces – clothing, jewelry and furniture with a story, and more importantly, a conscience. These designers are drawing from the nomadic, sustainable, Bohemian ways of life and and bringing them into a more modern lifestyle. People are putting their money and lifestyle behind products they can believe in and are unique, made by people with the same values.

It may be due to the economic downturn – consumers are becoming more aware of how they spend their money and go about their lives. We’re also realizing we can do things ourselves – crafting, home-growing and upcycling has never been more popular. In the design world this has translated to this beautiful Bohemian Modern aesthetic. It’s captured our hearts because of its conscious approach to lifestyle as well as its use of handmade textiles and influences from nature.

We’ll be exploring the three different types of people behind this lifestyle in our Bohemian Modern series: the people who make the products, the people behind the stores and the people who buy their products and set trends. We’ll be profiling some of our favourite Bohemian Modern designers and curators – ace&jig, Leana Zuniga and Beautiful Dreamers.

Bohemian Modern starts with the people making the products and the process behind each piece they create. All of our favourite Bohemian Modern designers are inspired by travel, indigenous techniques and a consciousness behind their produce:

Womenswear designer Leana Zuniga started her Electric Feathers line after a spontaneous trip to Morocco one summer. She found herself short on clothes that travelled well so she created pieces ideal for rolling up and tossing in a suitcase, keeping the Bohemian, nomadic lifestyle in mind.

When starting their label ace&jig, Cary Vaughan and Jenna Wilson searched long and hard for the ideal manufacturer and ended in India, where they now visit several times a year to work one-on-one with weavers using ancient wooden hand looms to create authentic fabrics. The result is a cornucopia of custom textiles, made by hand using techniques handed down through generations.

Designers like these can be found in stores, which hold similar ethical beliefs as well as indigenous aesthetics, like Beautiful Dreamers. The Williamsburg boutique is dedicated to “œsupporting authentic creative, expression, sustainability, integrity and craftsmanship”.

Behind the Beautiful Dreamers store are stylists April Hughes and Marina Burini, who believe that true creativity in design comes from having a sense of community and naturing space in which to share. They gravitate towards smaller designers like ace&jig who are doing things that are sustainable and thoughtful, working with their hands and heart to make conscious designs.’  The resulting feeling of the Brooklyn space is a merging of indigenous aesthetics with modern sensibilities and the feeling that such has been taken over every item chosen. The integration of nature within their urban environment holds the true essence of Bohemian Modern.

Los Angeles-based Monica and Justin Boyes created their store Individual Medley with a similar belief and aesthetic, inspired by the natural landscapes and focusing on vintage pieces that have been lived in and loved. The couple curate their store with extensive research into what’s behind the products so that they can fully stand behind the brand and say with certainty that they love’ every piece they carry.

Both sets of owners made their stores to continue that sense of community – a home away from home where customers would feel warm and welcome, yet experience the shared nomadic history behind their curation.

This all, of course, is being encapsulated online by the dreamy bloggers who buy these products, live this Bohemian Modern lifestyle and set trends within the industry. We follow interiors blogger Moon to Moon for daily Bohemian Modern inspiration in the home – Navajo pillows are juxtaposed with traditional kilims, with an emphasis on the outdoors even inside the home.

Herbalist Chloe Garcia profiles her Bohemian lifestyle on her blog Nomadic Songlines, writing about her nomad ways, dreaming, traveling and painting. Her emphasis is on sharing her knowledge and wisdom with others, drawing her readers in to the Bohemian Modern world.

This is the heart of why we love these Bohemian Modern designers and curators – their raison d’etre is a shared lifestyle, with a focus on community and a true conscience behind everything they do. We hope you’ll join us on our journey exploring the people behind Bohemian Modern and fall in love with them just as much as we have.