BEHIND THE STITCH: ALANI
June 21, 2024
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In an era where fashion continues to flirt with the future, Bode dares to dream differently–by going smaller, not louder. The New York-based label helmed by Emily Bode Aujla has never shied away from the sentimental, the handcrafted, or the unconventional. But for Fall/Winter 2025, Bode has upended fashion’s visual lexicon entirely. Instead of a traditional runway or even a lookbook shot on models, the brand introduced its entire FW25 collection through a whimsical, theatrical lens: a miniature world where every outfit is a handcrafted marvel and every model is, quite literally, a doll.
Yes, you read that right. For FW25, Bode styled its collection on handmade dolls, each dressed in painstakingly created, hand-sewn replicas of the season’s garments. These aren’t just scaled-down costumes either; they’re wearable pieces of micro-art, constructed with the same rigorous attention to detail that defines the full-sized collection. Every garment in the doll-sized lineup was produced at a 1:6 scale, cut from miniaturized printed fabrics, knit with single-ply versions of the original yarns, and detailed with hand-crocheted elements and embroidery done in single thread. The trims? All handmade in the Bode studio from microbeads, giving new meaning to the phrase “fine craftsmanship.”
The result? A tiny world that mirrors the complexity, charm, and nostalgia of Bode’s full-sized fashion ethos. Nearly 80 images make up the lookbook, each one an arresting tableau that invites viewers to lean in closer to appreciate not just the silhouettes and textiles, but the imaginative daring of the entire concept.
The sets themselves are just as enchanting. Created by artist Lukas Geronimas, four distinct stage-like environments serve as backdrops for this fantastical dollhouse theatre. Together, they echo the dreamlike, performative essence of the collection’s deeper inspiration: The Expressionist, an unfinished musical by composer Moose Charlap. Known for his contributions to Peter Pan, Charlap’s lesser-known work provides a strange, beautiful wellspring for Bode to draw from–a reflection of both innocence and artistic potential unrealized. In this way, the FW25 collection doesn’t just celebrate fashion–it revives forgotten artistry.
And yet, despite all the whimsy, there’s a sharpness to the collection’s aesthetic. The clothes themselves–whether in their miniature or life-size incarnations–continue Bode’s exploration of historical menswear silhouettes, here reimagined with theatrical flair. There’s structure, romance, and a kind of dusty opulence that feels lifted from the backstage racks of a century-old playhouse. Think Edwardian shapes, mid-century American workwear, 1940s sportswear–all blended seamlessly with Bode’s signature affection for storytelling through textiles.
But at the heart of it all lies a singular ambition: to reframe how fashion collections are consumed and remembered. In an industry saturated with front-row theatrics, live streams, and social media spectacle, Bode’s miniature marvel forces us to slow down, zoom in, and reconsider the tactile beauty of clothing. The brand leans away from the expected, stripping fashion of its excess noise, and in doing so, turns something small into something monumental.
The FW25 campaign, already gaining attention for its originality and sheer audacity, underscores Bode’s enduring ethos–an embrace of intimacy, memory, and handcraft in an increasingly digitized world. It’s a quiet revolution disguised as a dollhouse opera, and it’s as thrilling as anything seen on any runway this season.
Bode didn’t just present a collection; it told a story. And through the tiniest stitches, it made one of the loudest statements of Fall/Winter 2025.
