Bodicia B is the made-to-order Sydney label with a focus on versatile, sustainable basics
IMAGE VIA @BODICIAB/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY IZZY WIGHT
“I also love being able to offer people a place to buy something with transparency.”
It’s easy to imagine fashion design as simply bringing your personal wardrobe wishlist to life – and for Sydney-based creative Bodie Keely, it’s not far from the truth. “Often, I’ll just make what I feel like I’m missing in my wardrobe,” she says. Her label, Bodicia B, is a one-woman show, ever evolving with Bodie’s mood, her favourite silhouettes and the fabrics she has on hand to rework.
For more fashion news, shoots, articles and features, head to our Fashion section.
Bodicia B pieces are distinctly made-to-order, with styles fluctuating depending on demand. For Bodie, it allows her the chance to find the perfect measurement-based fit. For the shopper, it encourages time to mull – up to three to four weeks, to be exact. “This also negates the instant satisfaction you get when you receive a package and prompts people to consider whether they actually need the garment or not,” Bodie explains. Below, she tells the story of her label so far
Tell us about you. What’s your fashion background?
View this post on Instagram
My name is Bodie, I’m 24. I studied Fashion Design and Textiles at UTS for two years, I might go back next year to finish my degree but for now, I’m happy working on Bodicia B.
How did the label get started? Talk us through the process and the challenges.
It started with mending or reworking secondhand garments to resell them on Depop. Eventually, I started making my own pieces from deadstock fabrics. After I noticed things were selling pretty well, I moved to Instagram in 2021.
View this post on Instagram
This was probably the biggest step for me, as I’ve always hated social media, specifically Instagram, and hadn’t even had a personal account since 2018. With that said, I was so surprised and grateful for the love and support I was greeted with.
A huge challenge was the imposter syndrome. Especially in the beginning, I felt quite out of place starting up a brand when I wasn’t 100 per cent sure what I was doing and was ‘learning on the job’, in a sense. My skills and knowledge have grown so much since then, but there’s still so much left to learn and I really do learn something new every day.
View this post on Instagram
I love chatting to other local designers/sewers and learning little hacks or different techniques, it’s really special to see everyone in this environment is so eager to learn and share.
What were you trying to achieve from the project at the time? How has this evolved and what are you trying to communicate through the brand now?
I’ve never had a goal for myself/my brand, I’m pretty content just cruising and seeing what happens. I’ve always been interested in sustainable and ethical fashion, so my main ‘goal’ at the moment is to encourage shopping locally and buying from small designers/businesses. I also love being able to offer people a place to buy something with transparency on exactly where it’s made, who is making it and what it’s being made from.
View this post on Instagram
I’m also hoping to encourage buying from made-to-order brands. There have been a few times where I’ve uploaded a garment and only a few units have sold, so I’ve used the fabric to make a different design. This prevents so much waste and I’ve never needed to put anything on sale just to move stock, which is a huge bonus both for me and for the environment.
The made-to-order period can take up to three to four weeks, so this also negates the instant satisfaction you get when you receive a package and prompts people to consider whether they actually need the garment or not.
How would you describe your label to someone who’s never seen it before?
View this post on Instagram
I always struggle when people ask me what sort of clothes I make because it really depends on my mood. Sometimes I like reworking and playing with form, fit and using lots of colour. Lately, I’ve been enjoying making classic staples. I make a lot of dresses too, as I love a good maxi dress. Often, I’ll just make what I feel like I’m missing in my wardrobe.
I am excited to be working on some more reworked garments at the moment. This is what makes me really happy, it’s easy to get stuck in manufacturing mode when I’m making everything myself. Thankfully, I have Swuph and Calli Comical in the studio with me once a week to help me with orders and designs!
What do you wish you knew when you started?
View this post on Instagram
I wish I’d organised my accounts properly in the beginning, or spoken to someone about what being a sole trader entails (I was naive and kept putting it off). Doing this all myself is taking a huge toll on my mental health and creativity. I think it’s important to be transparent, so hopefully in saying this maybe I’ll save someone who is about to start their own business from a lot of head noise!
Who do you think is most exciting in Australian fashion right now?
So many people are doing such amazing and creative work! I could make a huge list of people to follow and support, a few being: Calli Comical, Swuph, Die Horny, Spiraro, Not Sew New, Katharina Lou, Zoë MacPhail, Be Right Back [and] Kahe.
How can we buy one of your pieces?
View this post on Instagram
Via bodiciab.com or occasionally I will sell some pieces on Depop, too!
You can follow Bodie for more here.
Liked this? You’ll love these...
