Bohemian

Hi everyone! A few days ago I presented you my studio doll logo and now, may I present to you the new Miss Georgia doll brand logo! I am so happy with this logo, which is based on Atelier Miss Georgia’s logo: a woman serene and in peace with herself! As you may have noticed, Miss Georgia is a contemporary woman who’s inspired from different ethnic costume designs with a fantasy twist. She’s defining herself as a contemporary bohemian lady with a free spirit and lifestyle.  But what is the difference between a bohemian, a gypsy and also tribal? I have made my own research and I will try to make it short. OK…

Bohemian

What I have read about bohemians, is that Bohemia is a resident  in Czech Republic.The name “Bohemia” derives from the name of the Boii, a Celtic tribe who inhabited that area. The word “Bohemian” has never been widely used by the local Czech population. In the Middle Ages they were called Čechy but also, especially during the period of restoration of the Czech language and nation. The word “Bohemians” is sometimes used when speaking about persons from Bohemia of all ethnic origins, especially before 1918. The term “Bohemianism“, comes from the French bohemian and is  as associated with “social unconventionality”, This has to do with  Gypsies, since Romani people were thought to come from Bohemia, or because they perhaps entered the West through Bohemia. Bohemian also means to live and work cheaply, unconventionally and in any place. For an example, Johnny Deep played Roux a bohemian men a long side French actress Juliette Binoche in the 2000 movie Chocolate. In modern days, the Bohemians, appeared in France after the French revolution, as a counterculture and were deprived of the former of patronage, where wealthy clients’ supports their arts. Sadly, many of them, especially artists, were plunged into poverty. Due to this situation, many took a nomadic lifestyle and leave cheaply and wear unfashionable or used clothing.

Gypsy

In our days, though many Romani organizations use their own names, generally speaking, Gypsies indicate Romani people and travelers. In other words they are nomadic people, their lifestyle is based on movement and regardless their race or origin! They are outcasts who live outside the mainstream! There are more than a dozen of Romani organizations across Europe and their names change depending on the country language: In France it is “gitan”, in Spain “gitanos” and in Italy “gitani”.  Whenever I think of a gypsy, I think of caravan sites, woman wearing colorful and printed long skirts, adding to that elaborated tunics and to finish all, wearing beautiful scarves. Many of you may remember of Esmeralda in the Hunchback of Notre Dame (see picture).

Image a courtesy of  http://english.svenko.net/

Tribal

As for tribal, in better terms,  a “tribe” is a distinct group of people, who dependent on their land and lifestyle, who are largely self-sufficient, and do not integrate into the industrial society. Also, Tribes privilege primordial social ties and are clearly bounded, homogeneous and stable. They organize links between families (including clans and lineages), and provide them with a social and ideological basis for solidarity, that in some ways are more limited than an “ethnic group” or a “nation”.

In modern days, especially in the fashion industry, it all started in the late 19^th century where it rebels over the very strict and rigid Victorian era and it was back, in the late 1960’s , with the Hippie movement!  The contemporary “bohemian” movement is called the Boho chic style, where the Kate Moss, Nicole Richie and the Olsen sisters perpetuate the movement! Why do so many feel connected with these countercultures? Personally, I guess it is because the design creativity is endless and where your imagination has no limits!