Who is Alex Bovaird? Costume designer talks about style choices of ‘The White Lotus 3’ 

Alex Bovaird is the costume designer for the hit HBO series The White Lotus and some of her designs on the cast have caught the attention of fashionistas and even award shows.

Bovaird has received two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Contemporary Costumes for her work in The White Lotus series. The third season of the series aired on February 16, 2025, with new and old cast showcasing stunning designs on set.

The White Lotus cast's fashion has been so sought after that the show has collaborated with H&M, Banana Republic, Brunch, Abercrombie & Fitch and Away for limited-edition capsule collections. In an interview with WWD published on March 10, 2025, the celebrated costume designer opened up on the style choices of the characters in the White Lotus 3 and her collaboration with Jacquemus to achieve some of the looks.

The White Lotus 3 fashion explored as Alex Bovaird breaks down outfit details

For the third season of The White Lotus, Bovaird combined archival looks from the ‘60s and ‘70s with modern-day Instagram resort wear to create a striking mix.

"The research is a lot of real pictures and a lot of sleuthing around the internet. With social media these days, it’s quite easy to pop in the right hashtag and or location and look at what everyone’s posting at these resorts,”

Alex Bovaird revealed in the WWD interview that after reading the script for the third season, she had the idea to dress Chloe, played by Charlotte Le Bon, in Jacquemus. Simon Porte Jacquemus, the creative director of Jacquemus, and Bovaird, worked together to create custom pieces for the character, including the viral pink bodysuit, sheer skirt and hat that she rocked in the fourth episode.

The inspiration for the character’s looks in the season was based on the fact that she was well-traveled and spent a lot of time in Saint-Tropez. Greg (Season 1 and 2)/ Gary (Season 3), played by John Gries, experiences a sartorial evolution.

He starts off the earlier season with an average style before getting more fashion-forward with loud prints. His character’s looks were based on the stereotypical “Loser Back Home” tourists in Thailand.

Rick's character, played by Walton Goggins, is the opposite of Greg/ Gary as he opts for vintage Hawaiian shirts and flowy linen pants bought at the market. His girlfriend Chelsea, played by Aimee Lou Wood, whose character is an avid traveler, has curated most of her wardrobe from the local flea market.

Like her boyfriend, Chelsea rocks more laidback outfits. The Ratliff family, on the other hand, come from old Southern American money, and while they are not loud and showy in their dressing, there’s a classic luxury to their approach to fashion.

Bovaird shared that some of the inspiration for styling the family came from her Southern family and friends. The three friends—Jaclyn played by Michelle Monaghan, Kate played by Leslie Bibb and Laurie played by Carrie Coon—showcase different styles in White Lotus season three. Bovaird provides a backstory for the friends’ outfits:

"Jaclyn is an actress, so we imagine that she has lots of branded clothing, and we thought maybe she’s got a relationship with Valentino and she’s bringing all this stuff that she got sent to her for her vacation, and she’s sharing it a little bit with Kate,”

Bovaird added:

"Think Kate and her are the more meticulous ladies in their style, and Laurie’s trying to catch up. She, in her normal life, doesn’t care too much, but she knows she’s going on holiday with her old friends, and so she’s trying to fit in a little more.”

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The White Lotus 3 premiered on February 16, 2025. The series featured eight episodes, with the final episode airing on April 6, 2025.

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