BODE
Design by Rachel Liu
Brand Overview
This luxury menswear company has been making waves since its first collection in 2018, with its new-perspective use of antique fabrics to create modern garments. Taking inspiration and material from earlier centuries, BODE has built the foundations of a sustainable brand outside the box of fast-moving trends. Emily Bode was the first female designer to show at New York Fashion Week and is paving the way for other women to break into the menswear design industry.
Emily Bode courtesy of Bergdorfs
Designer Bio
Emily Adams Bode was raised on antiquing and hunting through history. Growing up looking for oddities in Georgia and summertime Massachusetts rendered Bode with an interest on the background of personal and domestic objects. Things that the average individual might live in, then get rid of without imagining what it could later become. With a family that kept their memories for as long as possible (such as tablecloths from WWII or shirts from the 50s) Bode felt attached to the emotive qualities found from certain items and textiles. After attending Parsons for Menswear design, and opening her brand upon a suggesting from an editor at New York Times, Bode immediately gained attention for her design choices.
In 2018, she was the runner up for the CFDA prize, then finally won said award in 2019 along with the LVMH prize. Since then, the likes of Business of Fashion, GQ, and Forbes have been taking notice. The brand’s more emotive take on typical menswear designs has created a nostalgic and intrinsic narrative aura that draws in customers, regardless of the otherwise simple silhouettes. In 2020, BODE won the Woolmark Prize for innovation, and has continued to grow it customer base and garner international attraction.
Inside Look
“I love hearing when someone comes in, and they recognize something from their domestic space, like, “This reminds me of my grandmother’s quilt” – really understanding that the sentiment that goes along with these textiles is just as powerful, or even more significant, for men than for women. Men can potentially be a little bit further removed, but they still identify with these pieces from their past or, sometimes, from their own heritage. ”
Collection/Designer Career Highlights
Emily Bode’s first collection entitled Le Grenier took inspiration from nostalgic 60’s warmth and French domestic spaces, and began catching the attention of the public eye.
The BODE flagship store opened up in 2019. Located in Chinatown, New York, it was designed by Green River Project LLC; the layout harkening back to old American Hotel Lobbies.
In 2019, Bode won the LVMH Young Fashion Designer award for bringing the “forgotten stories” of fabric into her creations and pointing towards a sustainable future.
Bode was the first woman designer to show at New York Fashion Week Menswear in 2018.
Emily Bode featured in Forbes’ 2019 13 Under 30 list.
BODE took inspiration from the Senior Cords, which originated in Indiana, and revitalized the fabric in a new, personalized way.
BODE dressed Harry Styles from their corduroys collection for his cover of Vogue in 2020.
BODE opened up an E-Store in response to the pandemic, and as a step forward for the expanding brand.
All fabrics and materials are sourced from antique materials, and sustainably embroidered/made in India.
Any type of vintage or antique textile is fair game to make into a new and upcycled garment.
Edited by Kieryn Alexander
