Free spirits unite this summer as casual separates touch on the peace, love and freedom mantra of the 60s and 70s. While cleancut beatnik and mod looks have also been revisited this season, their hippie counterpart provides a less austere alternative.
It's easy to romanticise things here - think sun-kissed girls dressed in a psychedelic-print maxi-dresses straight out of the summer of love. There's an east meets west feel now, with billowing kaftan tops, oversized Japanese-style kimono jackets worn with washed-out denim for an LA/West Coast edge.
Designer Arielle Mermin, herself hailing from Marin County, California and now based in the coastal township of Okato in rural Taranaki, has drawn plenty of inspiration from her love of coastal living with languid pantsuits, breezy maxi-dresses and bohemian-inspired embroidered tops and shift dresses. The "Sweetwater" dress in violet (#4) is a signature piece from the current collection that can be worn on its own or over a pair of palazzo pants for a laid-back resort look.
Dries Van Noten's recent spring 2015 collection highlights free spirits - albeit a much more luxe interpretation, with organza silk shorts worn with transparent floral shirts. Age is no barrier here either, and along with Van Noten, designers such as Haider Ackermann and Alber Elbaz at Lanvin often draw inspiration from their sophisticated clientele who appreciate luxury, but with an equal amount of bohemian zest for life as that festival girl at Coachella.
