‘Moto boho’ is the Spring/Summer 2025 trend combining leather and lace
By Fiona Ward
29th May 2025
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Combining the edgy and the ethereal isn’t exactly untrodden ground when it comes to fashion. After all, it’s exactly those juxtapositions that provide tension and contrast – just look at 2023’s viral ‘wrong shoe theory’ or the simple act of pairing something tailored with something oversized. But for 2025, the industry’s opposition of choice has been hailed as ‘moto boho’ – which is, essentially, the merging of this year’s bohemian comeback with our penchant for biker-like leather accessories and outerwear. The result is – you guessed it – the perfect contrast.
Queen of bohemian style Sienna Miller is essentially the patron saint of boho moto, having sported various outfit combos that celebrate both the tough and the translucent. Her look of choice is to combine a floaty, gauzy dress with either a leather jacket or some statement boots – as seen at the 2024 premiere for Horizon: An American Saga and at the Chloé AW24 show, which saw her teaming an oversized moto jacket with her lace trim white dress.
L to R: Chloé’s, Free People, Marks & Spencer and & Other Stories.
In fact, you only have to look at Chloé’s recent runways to notice that the brand’s signature gauzy designs have been styled with plenty of contrast leather pieces, from statement jackets to utilitarian vests. Isabel Marant and Ann Demeulemeester are also key brands to look to for inspiration – the latter a masterclass in styling sheer, tent-like pieces with buckled boots and leather trousers.
Other celebrity adoptees of the moto boho movement include Zoë Kravitz, who has recently been sporting ruffled dresses with sheer black tights and leather accessories, while the Olsen twins are forever fans of combining bohemian silhouettes with their favourite leather pieces. A quick search of ‘moto boho’ on Pinterest will bring up plenty more inspiration, too.
So what’s in the moto boho toolkit? The base is pretty much always loose and oversized – for ease, a dress, preferably ruffled or sheer with lace trims or some broderie anglaise. Chloé’s latest collection is the gold standard, but there’s plenty of alternatives on the high street from the likes of Free People, Marks & Spencer and & Other Stories.
Reiss and BA&SH
Then there’s the leather additions. A good oversized moto jacket is, surprise surprise, key to this look – this chocolate brown number from Reiss is a little more tonal, while this cropped, ultra-boxy option from BA&SH will add yet more texture with its high-shine finish.
A pair of buckled moto boots, also hugely popular since Miu Miu reintroduced them as a cult piece, is another way of adding some edge to your boho base. Those will set you back £1,950, but these Steve Madden dupes offer a very similar vibe.
And finally, if you want to go a little more boho than moto, you might consider a concho- style belt like this embossed piece from equestrian brand Ariat, which uses Leather Working Group-certified leathers, or Isabel Marant’s woven calfskin number – which will add back that much-needed softness and texture.