When you look at an AWAVEAWAKE collection, the first thing you notice is how incredibly soft, drapey, and comfortable the pieces are. When I went to visit designer Jaclyn Hodes' apartment-cum-design-studio, I found out why: she is a dancer and a Kundalini yoga teacher. "I've studied dance my whole life and how women move in general," she explained. "I’m really interested in movement and clothing. In real life, no one ever just stands there."
Born and raised in NYC, Jaclyn attended Sarah Lawrence College and studied numerous subjects including French, which led her to Paris in her final year of school. She worked there as a stylist until the siren song of her hometown called her back in 2001. She soon enrolled in FIT's Fashion and Textile Studies program, pursuing a museum studies degree that allowed her to immerse herself in archives full of the kinds of vintage garments that now inspire her collections. "At FIT, I got really into vintage and specifically Edwardian garments. But I was still into styling and appreciating the human expression of style without it being encapsulated in a museum."
Eventually, Jaclyn decided that she should be designing clothes rather than conserving them. About a year and a half ago, the stars aligned for her to start AWAVEAWAKE. "I just felt this need in me to create clothing that resonated. My line is very 30s-inspired, with the Madame Grès, bias cut style, but in a 70s sort of way, like the swirling maxi dresses of Halston."
The current collection was based on the scenery of Sedona, Arizona, where Jaclyn stops on the way to an annual yoga retreat in New Mexico. "There's a swirling energy in the place," she said. Jaclyn was particularly inspired by the colors of Sedona and the way the sun interacted with the rocks. "That's where the palette came from," she said. "It was a subtle design directive from the energy of Sedona and the actual rock formations."
The result is a collection that's simple and ethereal, with every detail of the body-conscious shapes carefully executed for maximum effect—and minimal environmental impact. Jaclyn's attention to the details of a garment's construction also carries over to production, done exclusively using natural fibers and dyes. "The impact I'm having as a young designer is small, because I'm not using tons of fabric," said Jaclyn. "But it's important to me to be one of the few, which hopefully changes to one of the many, to honor the earth. I call my pieces earth-conscious."
Carbon footprint aside, silk, bamboo, and cotton also make AWAVEAWAKE's pieces delightfully easy to wear and pack up on the go. "There's nothing that drapes like silk," Jaclyn said. "And it's an extremely breathable fabric that is both warming and cooling." Jaclyn's garments transition easily throughout each season, with or without the layering pieces she's created.
"The backbone is the slip dress, but you can wear something over it, and change the silhouette," she said. "I also create a bodice wrap each season, like a corset but not constricting. It's like taking the construction layer of these dresses and putting it on the outside. It's a versatility that I like."
Shop all AWAVEAWAKE here.
Photos by Annabel Mehran.
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Born and raised in NYC, Jaclyn attended Sarah Lawrence College and studied numerous subjects including French, which led her to Paris in her final year of school. She worked there as a stylist until the siren song of her hometown called her back in 2001. She soon enrolled in FIT's Fashion and Textile Studies program, pursuing a museum studies degree that allowed her to immerse herself in archives full of the kinds of vintage garments that now inspire her collections. "At FIT, I got really into vintage and specifically Edwardian garments. But I was still into styling and appreciating the human expression of style without it being encapsulated in a museum."
Eventually, Jaclyn decided that she should be designing clothes rather than conserving them. About a year and a half ago, the stars aligned for her to start AWAVEAWAKE. "I just felt this need in me to create clothing that resonated. My line is very 30s-inspired, with the Madame Grès, bias cut style, but in a 70s sort of way, like the swirling maxi dresses of Halston."
The current collection was based on the scenery of Sedona, Arizona, where Jaclyn stops on the way to an annual yoga retreat in New Mexico. "There's a swirling energy in the place," she said. Jaclyn was particularly inspired by the colors of Sedona and the way the sun interacted with the rocks. "That's where the palette came from," she said. "It was a subtle design directive from the energy of Sedona and the actual rock formations."
The result is a collection that's simple and ethereal, with every detail of the body-conscious shapes carefully executed for maximum effect—and minimal environmental impact. Jaclyn's attention to the details of a garment's construction also carries over to production, done exclusively using natural fibers and dyes. "The impact I'm having as a young designer is small, because I'm not using tons of fabric," said Jaclyn. "But it's important to me to be one of the few, which hopefully changes to one of the many, to honor the earth. I call my pieces earth-conscious."
Carbon footprint aside, silk, bamboo, and cotton also make AWAVEAWAKE's pieces delightfully easy to wear and pack up on the go. "There's nothing that drapes like silk," Jaclyn said. "And it's an extremely breathable fabric that is both warming and cooling." Jaclyn's garments transition easily throughout each season, with or without the layering pieces she's created.
"The backbone is the slip dress, but you can wear something over it, and change the silhouette," she said. "I also create a bodice wrap each season, like a corset but not constricting. It's like taking the construction layer of these dresses and putting it on the outside. It's a versatility that I like."
Shop all AWAVEAWAKE here.
Photos by Annabel Mehran.
