Bode: A Fashion Reliquary For Rare Fabrics

American fashion designer Emily Bode is something of a reliquary for rare and unique fabrics—and since beginning her eponymous label two years ago, she has been giving her collection of vintage textiles new life as menswear.

Bode finds most of her fabrics through antique dealers, drawing upon their expertise and knowledge to determine colors and themes for her various seasons. In her latest collection, Spring 2019, she continues a personal narrative with longtime collaborator and friend, the artist Aaron Aujla. Armed with a forged passport, Aujla’s grandfather arrived in Canada from India in the 1920s—and his family has been there ever since. The Spring ’19 collection fuses Anglo-Canadian with Indian influences: there are lightweight shirts created from khadi—a traditional Indian homespun cotton cloth—along with three-piece suits. Bode has reimagined the purpose of souvenir tee-shirts and reams of cloth that were once produced in Indian mills, crafting from them well cut pants and shirts. Of consumer driven, fast-fashion, she remarked in a recent interview with i-D: “When I was making clothes at other companies, the amount of waste was just so sad. People shouldn’t design this way. The idea of making clothing without having an idea of where your materials are coming from, or where your was houses are, is a shame. No matter what you do, it should be sustainable.” In a fashion climate where it is almost impossible to find a garment that is truly unique, Bode offers one of a kind pieces with history and ethical practice.

All images © Bode