BODE x Highsnobiety

For her Spring/Summer 2020 collection, Emily Adams Bode eponymous label channeled the work of her great-great-great uncle, Albert Bode, whose Bode Wagon Co. once made show wagons for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Additional inspiration was found in Sarasota, Florida, where the circus would rest every summer and the site of the Ringling Museum.

Featuring plenty of bold stripes and sharp suits fit for any would-be ringmaster, BODE’s latest collection also speaks to how the wild world of menswear has become a lion in need of taming. Taking these outlandish inspirations and turning them into a collection in which the references are reined in tastefully was certainly a masterful feat. 

Without knowing about its ties to the circus, the clothing still resonated with a There Will Be Blood-meets-Red Dead Redemption vibe, something a little “old world” that just has that je ne sais quoi. Other than a few nods on BODE’s signature graphic trousers and typefaces that recall what you’d find on an old-school circus ad, the collection built on the brand’s DNA of clothing that feels current but still possesses a classic sensibility.

Emily is toeing the line between feminine and masculine tropes feels unmistakably current in today’s shopping landscape.

The collection is certainly a welcome progression for a designer who continues to impress with new feats of storytelling through her clothing. 

First arrivals of the SS20 collection are available at  www.highsnobiety.com/shop 

Credits: 
Photographer: Julien Tell 
Text: Jian DeLeon 
Styling: Tim Heyduck 
Model: Anusha @ ICONIC 
H&MU: Paloma Brytscha 
Creative Director: Herbert Hofmann 
Producer: Rochelle Bambury 
Account Director: Bartosz Orlowski