By Avice Meehan

Designer and entrepreneur Emily Adams Bode Aujla is known for her ability to transform archival research and images into wearable and compelling garments that are in demand from New York to Tokyo. At this year’s Met Gala, for example, she wore an ethereal tulle gown bedecked with antique paper scrapbook cutouts sourced from Ebay. She also dressed singer-songwriter SZA (Solana Imani Rowe) in a golden yellow gown appliqued with floral motifs and beaded flowers, again sourced from Ebay and supported by Vogue magazine.

The Norfolk resident, who founded the eponymous fashion brand Bode, has a new collaboration with the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival and Yale School of Music that will also dig deep into the Yale archives. The collaboration will include original merchandise available through Bode and Yale on Aug. 3. It will culminate on Aug. 8 with a panel discussion (6 p.m. in the Music Shed) and the debut of a newly commissioned work by Nahre Sol as part of the “Musical Bridges: America’s 250” concert program. Bode Aujla reflected on the project in a recent email interview.

What provided the spark for the collaboration? How do you think about collaborations more generally?

There was a natural connection with the Yale/ Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, especially given that I live in Norfolk with my family. It is exciting to think about preserving tradition and honoring history through a different craft, in this case music. To me, collaborations are another way to tell a story, through a specific narrative.

What items will be featured?

For this new collaboration with the Yale School of Music and the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, Bode has designed a selection of original merchandise. The selection, which includes tees, polos, a poplin shirt, tote and a pair of joggers, are printed with graphics from the archives of the Yale School of Music, including maps of the Norfolk Music Shed and illustrations from early concert programs.

How did you find the alignment between the Bodeo Rodeo collection, the composer and the Musical Bridges theme?

This installment of Musical Bridges is in celebration of America’s semiquincentennial, so there was a direct correlation between the themes being explored by Yale and the story for our next collection. The Fall 2026 collection, Rodeo Bodeo, is centered around American western traditions, and I am excited by the opportunity to participate in that conversation through a different craft. Yale commissioned the composer, Nahre Sol, and I can’t wait to see what she creates.

Do you expect future collaborations with the Yale music school?

Bode and Yale/Norfolk Chamber Music Festival will continue to work together in the coming years, and we envision an expanded annual collaboration.