Celebrities Are Spending Thousands on Upcycled, Quilted Clothes Your Grandma Could Have Made
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People outside of the industry tend to think of Fashion as tight leather pants, cleavage, and towering heels, but actually Fashion is a jacket your grandmother made out of old tablecloths, cheap jewelry you wore in middle school, and the the most hideous sneakers an algorithm could imagine. At least, that's what it is in 2021.
"Bad" fashion is nothing new. Miuccia Prada long ago staked her name and several billion dollars on un-sexy clothes, inspiring the term "ugly chic." But what was ugly chic in the '90s has trickled into the mainstream and, over time, lost its ugly. What qualifies as "bad" fashion today reaches for references that could seem pastoral or clumsy when held up against the fastidious standards of an Italian sartoria.
Emily Bode's name is in everyone's mouths lately for ushering in this very folk revival. Her unisex jackets, shirts, pants, and shorts (and a just-launched baby line) are executed using salvaged and deadstock fabrics out of her New York studio, using laborious, handcrafted techniques like quilting, embroidery, and appliqué.
As many European houses obsess over creating an impression of (often damningly false) scarcity, Bode's eponymous line is defined by it. Its super limited runs are sewn from Victorian quilts and 100-year-old linens, so when inventory sells out, it's gone for good. Naturally, pieces are priced accordingly; shirts start around $400, pants $600, and jackets can reach up to $4,000.
Fashion collectors make up a portion of Bode's clientele, and celebrities with deep pockets and an eye for design are also beginning to take notice. Bella and Gigi Hadid, Harry Styles, January Jones, Jay-Z, and even Michelle Obama have been turned onto Bode's unique pieces. The Crown's Emma Corin is the latest to throw her support behind the brand, stepping out this week in its Boxing Felt Shirt Jacket, which retails for $1,161.
Quilt-mania has since taken off in all directions, inspiring brands like Sea New York, whose patchwork jacket Katie Holmes wore this week, plus a slew of inspired options that can be found on Nordstrom and Amazon. Below, shop our favorite investment-worthy Bode pieces and a handful of affordable alternatives that pay homage the look.
Get the Look:
Bode One of a Kind Reworked Quilt Patchwork Camp Shirt
Shop now: $418; nordstrom.com
Bode One of a Kind Embroidered Napkin Cotton Shirt
Shop now: $438; nordstrom.com
Bode x Marcus Paul Haiti Hand Painted Short Sleeve Silk Button-Up Shirt
Shop now: $495; nordstrom.com
Bode Edwardian Pompom Workwear Jacket
Shop now: $1,560; nordstrom.com
Bode Bengali Tableau Quilted Workwear Jacket
Shop now: $1,560; nordstrom.com
Free People Patchwork Cotton Knee Length Top
Shop now: $168; nordstrom.com
BDG Urban Outfitters Long Sleeve Mesh Top
Shop now: $35; nordstrom.com
Baum und Pferdgarten Buyu Patchwork Shirt Jacket
Shop now: $279; nordstrom.com
BP. Patchwork Button-Up Shirt
Shop now: $35; nordstrom.com
