Bode Reimagines 20th-Century Craft for Today’s Modern Wardrobe
There’s a certain magic in pieces that feel lived-in yet impossibly luxe — like heirlooms with a modern heartbeat. For those of us who see style as self-care, we’re drawn to garments that whisper stories, not shout trends. That’s where Bode thrives: a brand that treats fabric like memory, and craftsmanship like ritual. The result is clothing that looks beautiful up close and even better in motion — a quiet kind of glamour that lingers.
Bode’s Spell: Vintage Soul, Modern Luxury
Since 2016, designer Emily Adams Bode Aujla has cultivated a New York label beloved for its thoughtful reuse of vintage textiles and its reverence for **historical craftsmanship**. Celebrity collectors — from Harry Styles and Bruno Mars to Jordan Peele and the Jonas Brothers — have gravitated toward the brand’s intimate, story-rich pieces.
Much of Bode’s appeal lies in its balance: familiar silhouettes paired with emotional textures and **upcycled textiles**. The clothes are tactile and tender, designed for people who want their wardrobe to hold meaning.
Harry Styles in a lacy Bode shirt while out in New York City, 2022.
The Signature Details
Bode’s collections often reimagine one-of-a-kind vintage finds or recreate period textiles with meticulous intent. Every seam and button feels chosen — not added.
- Color-rich, quilted workwear jackets with a collectible quality
- Blousons touched with 1940s-inspired Hungarian appliqués
- Lightweight shirts featuring prints revived from 1920s French mills
- Hand-decorated corduroys with whimsical, heirloom-like embellishment
It’s a **luxury** proposition, and priced accordingly: quilted jackets often range from $1,000 to $2,000, while embroidered, two-tone socks can reach around $250. The value lives in the intimacy of the piece — the way it’s made, the story it tells, and the legacy it continues.
Craft as Preservation
Bode leans into techniques from another era — the quilting, appliqué, embroidery — and translates them into pieces that feel timeless, not nostalgic. The silhouettes are wearable, but the craft remains beautifully, intentionally old-world.
Bode’s reworked vintage and historical reproductions evoke emotion through craft.
An Emotional Connection
Much of Bode’s power is personal. The designer’s work draws from memory, domestic spaces, and family narratives rooted largely along the Eastern US — including a long-remembered Cape Cod home that colors her creative world.
For Spring 2018, for instance, an intimate family story about a childhood attic in France inspired a collection crafted from toweling, old duvets, and rescued textiles. That’s Bode’s alchemy: transforming remembrance into clothing that feels familiar the first time you wear it.
Aligned With the Moment
Before it was fashionable, Bode embraced **upcycling** and ethical design. Today, with Gen Z and style connoisseurs alike looking back to move forward, the label’s reverence for the past feels strikingly current — without chasing trends.
Womenswear Debut at Paris Fashion Week
In a major 2023 milestone, Bode introduced **womenswear** alongside its Fall/Winter menswear show in Paris. The collection revisits 1920s dresses and 1940s gowns, and lovingly recreates 1970s pieces saved by the designer’s mother, Janet.
That particular story — of a young woman working seasonally at a Cape Cod home, where the lady of the house dressed in eveningwear every night for dinner — glows at the center of the line. It’s a portrait of ritual, refinement, and the beauty of getting dressed with intention.
Bode unveiled its first womenswear line at Paris Fashion Week.
Glimmers of Bygone Glamour
The show offered a sweep of eras: an all-over gold sequined coat, a champagne-toned dress with a simple bib collar, delicate embroideries on cardigans and lapels, and a subtle Western whisper in fringed suede. It’s a decade-spanning wardrobe that expands the world of Bode without losing its intimacy.
Stores That Feel Like Home
Bode’s boutiques — in New York City and Los Angeles — are designed like living rooms, each with its own mood. Los Angeles reads a touch more academic; New York feels private and warmly conversational.
Retail remains a key pillar for the brand, with plans to open a third location in the UK or Europe. Many collectors become loyal once they’ve experienced the garments in person — the textures, the finishes, the weight of the story in the cloth.
Why This Resonates With Beauty-Minded Minimalists
- It’s slow, intentional design — the fashion equivalent of a high-performance ritual.
- Textures tell a story, inviting touch and revealing detail, like great skincare.
- Heritage techniques deliver lasting value, aligned with **sustainable fashion** principles.
- Each piece feels personal, turning dressing into a daily practice of self-expression.
The Takeaway
Bode reminds us that the most compelling wardrobes are built, not bought — curated with care, anchored in memory, and finished with grace. Style becomes a keepsake when it’s crafted to last and meant to be loved.
Ready to elevate your ritual? Seek out pieces — in fashion and beauty — that feel intimate, intentional, and exquisitely made. Start where it matters most: with textures you’ll reach for, stories you’ll wear, and a quiet luxury that feels like you.
