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[Crafting Timelessness: An Interview with Bodhi Founder Emily Adams Bode Aujla]-[a clothing designer's mind, a talk with emily bode [video]]

anything goes with emma chamberlain · B2 · 2023-08-17

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📋 Summary

The Philosophy of Bodhi: Preserving Craftsmanship

Emily Adams Bode Aujla, the visionary founder of the brand Bodhi, describes her label as more than just a menswear line; it is a "luxury brand with this sort of casual... vintage, eclectic edge." At the core of Bodhi is a deep-seated commitment to "preserving the magical, beautiful craftsmanship of the past," a practice she feels is dwindling in modern life. By utilizing natural materials like cotton, linen, and wool, Bodhi aims to create garments that feel "timeless," ensuring they can be worn forever rather than being tied to a specific fleeting era.

Foundations in Craft and Aesthetic Vision

Emily’s path to fashion design was rooted in a love for "craft" rather than fashion itself. From a young age, she was a "collector," building imaginative worlds through doll furniture and drawing. Her aesthetic, which she describes as "object-based," is heavily influenced by primary historical resources—books, movies, and family narratives. During her time at Parsons, she developed a "strong point of view," learning that in creative work, one must be prepared to "throw something away" or "unpick" hand-laid embroidery to reach a higher standard of quality. She emphasizes that her design process is not just about the product, but about the "narrative" behind it.

Navigating the Fashion Industry

Despite the pressure to conform, Emily has consistently trusted her "own instincts and gut." When she first launched Bodhi, industry experts warned her that her heavyweight, domestic-textile-based shirts would not sell, as they didn't fit the existing mold. She ignored these warnings, proving that there was a void in the market for vintage-inspired, durable menswear. She notes that "you can't always listen to people" because success often comes from filling a gap that others cannot yet imagine. Her decision to show on the Paris Fashion Calendar and sell in luxury retailers was a deliberate goal she set for herself as a young person.

The Future: Expanding into Womenswear

Looking ahead, Emily is most excited about the launch of her womenswear line. She explains that this collection is deeply personal, drawing inspiration from the women in her family, specifically "my mom and her sisters when they were young." This expansion represents a new challenge, as she anticipates the process will be a significant learning experience. While she acknowledges the "catty" nature of the womenswear world compared to the more utilitarian, repeat-friendly nature of menswear, she remains committed to her brand’s identity.

Challenging Modern Consumption

Throughout the interview, Emily touches upon the tension between her brand’s ethos and the modern "no outfit repeating" culture fueled by social media. She observes that while the pressure to constantly wear new items exists, there is a growing movement of people "unlearning" this behavior. By creating high-quality, "one of one" pieces that customers truly fall in love with, she hopes to encourage a more sustainable relationship with clothing, where pieces are cherished, worn repeatedly, and ultimately passed down.

🎯Key Sentences

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I don't even know how to sort through it.
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Getting into therapy is less complicated than you think.
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You've basically become known for it.
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I thrive in those environments, whereas it's definitely not for everybody.
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I truly think it justifies what you're doing.
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📝Key Phrases

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fucking nails it
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dwindling out of our day-to-day life
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one of one
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sort through it
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gain confidence
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📖 Transcript

Today I'm going to be interviewing one of my favorite, if not my favorite, She is the founder... designer of her brand Bodhi.
Maybe by definition Bodhi Bodhi is a menswear brand, but Bodhi is very much more than that.
Bodhi is a luxury brand with this sort of casual... vintage, eclectic edge.
Her brand is truly... the epitome of vintage-inspired clothing.
Like, she... fucking nails it. Bodhi makes it feel like you plucked it out of a store.
In the 50s, you know, the brand really is helping to preserve... the magical, beautiful craftsmanship of the past that's kind of slowly dwindling out of our day-to-day life.

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