Bode's Family and Fashion: A Journey of Craft and Global Expansion
Emily Adams Bode Aujla, the visionary behind the renowned fashion house Bode, exemplifies a life where entrepreneurial success harmonizes with personal growth. On the eve of her journey to Paris for an array of inspiring professional engagements, Emily reflected on her recent birthday, a moment that prompted contemplation on the remarkable expansion of both her brand and her family. Her narrative highlights a dynamic evolution, transitioning from humble beginnings to a globally recognized name in fashion, all while navigating the delightful complexities of an expanding household.
Emily's journey from a nascent designer to the head of a global fashion brand, Bode, is deeply intertwined with her personal life. She recounts the rapid changes: moving residences multiple times within Greenwich Village, welcoming two children, a girl and a boy, and adopting two wirehaired pointing griffons named Monday and Tuesday. These significant life events, from her initial men's clothing ideas cultivated during her college years in the early 2010s to the establishment of Bode in a Lower East Side apartment, illustrate a continuous stream of growth and adaptation. Her creative ethos is rooted in a fascination with historical American craft traditions and her familial heritage from New England and Atlanta's Piedmont region. Partnering with her now-husband, Aaron Aujla, Emily defied conventional wisdom, transforming vintage quilts and deadstock fabrics into highly coveted garments, thereby cementing Bode's unique identity in the fashion world.
The brand's expansion mirrors the growth of her nuclear family. What began as a local venture has blossomed into a global enterprise with stores across the United States and in Paris. Emily marvels at this "bizarre juxtaposition" where her family roots deepen locally, while her professional reach extends across continents. This global expansion was evident in her recent Paris fashion show, which transcended traditional runway presentations. Instead, the collection, inspired by the 1950s Parisian and New York jazz scene through the stories of jazz pianist Bill Charlap, was displayed on miniature dolls in an intimate salon setting, akin to a theatrical experience. This unconventional approach underscores Bode's commitment to storytelling and craftsmanship, allowing ideas to evolve over years rather than being confined to seasonal trends.
The Bode home itself is a testament to Emily's and Aaron's shared aesthetic, serving as a living gallery of meticulously curated and Green River Project-designed pieces. The interior boasts Prussian blue chintz curtains and robin’s-egg blue walls, a tribute to French decorator Madeleine Castaing. Each object, from the hand-painted river valley headboard in Bibhuti’s room to the Frank Lloyd Wright lamp conversing with a 1920s mural, tells a story, imbued with memories and associations. These inanimate objects, alongside the lively presence of children and the enormous, affectionate griffons, contribute to a home environment that is both visually rich and deeply lived-in, where cherished items and everyday life merge seamlessly.
Emily's philosophy for balancing her professional and personal life is one of integration. She openly shares her aspirations to build a generational business, one that would naturally accommodate her desire for a family. This intertwining of home and work is a deliberate choice, reflecting her unchanging vision since the brand's inception. The couple's collaboration extends beyond business, with Aaron's design principles for Bode stores (imagining spaces as they would have been in 1925) influencing their home, filled with Emily’s ever-expanding collection of vintage finds. Even mundane items, like Japanese receipts forming a quilt-like paper tarp, become part of their eclectic collection, signifying the deep personal connection they share with every object and every aspect of their lives.
Emily's home is a sanctuary where creativity flourishes amidst the playful chaos of family life. A child-sized, homemade circus tent, crafted from repurposed fabric and vintage trim, stands as a symbol of her creative spirit and her desire to build lasting legacies. This tent, destined to be mended, added to, and eventually passed down, embodies her vision for both her family and her brand: creations that are not only beautiful but also enduring, rich with history, and woven into the fabric of life.