BODE retuned to the Paris Fashion Week calendar this season with their Spring/Summer 2026 collection, The Expressionist, a poetic tribute to the late American composer Moose Charlap, who was best known for scoring Broadway’s Peter Pan. Presented at the Théâtre National de l’Opéra-Comique the collection was styled on meticulously crafted miniature dolls, the reslult of a years worth of work at the brands New York studio.
Inspired by Emily Bode Aujla’s childhood collection of American Girl dolls, the collection traded the traditional runway spectacle for theatrical intimacy. Inspired by Charlap’s unfinished musical with lyricist Eddie Lawrence, which traces the composer’s life through garments that harken back to midcentury Manhattan, post-Impressionist Paris, and the vibrant world of American musical theatre.
Embroidered jackets, painterly textiles, and nostalgic detailing captured the essence of an artist whose brilliance outlived his brief career. Following a speech from Emily Bode Aujla, guests were treated to a short conversational performance by Moose’s son acclaimed Pianist Bill Charlap in a gilded drawing room dotted with dioramas of various scenes from Moose’s life.
The Expressionist transforms memory into fashion, continuing Emily Bode Aujla’s legacy of storytelling through craft—and honouring a musical voice too often unsung.
Check out our photos from the presentation below and watch now on Bode.com
