A.W.A.K.E. Mode

« Back to Glossary Index

Short Biography

A.W.A.K.E. Mode (All Wonderful Adventures Kindle Enthusiasm) was founded by Natalia Alaverdian in 2012. The brand is known for its conceptual and avant-garde approach to design.

Brand Identity/Design Philosophy

The brand’s identity is a blend of art, fashion, and historical references. Alaverdian’s design philosophy is to create clothing that is both experimental and wearable, with a focus on deconstructed tailoring, unusual silhouettes, and a playful use of texture and color.

Notable Contributions

A.W.A.K.E. Mode is known for its highly conceptual and artistic collections, which often draw inspiration from Japanese art and culture. The brand has a cult following for its unique and intellectual approach to fashion.

A.W.A.K.E. Mode: Fashion That Thinks in Sculptures, Not Seasons

In an era of algorithms and fast-changing trends, A.W.A.K.E. Mode stands still — but not passively. It stands like a sculpture in a white-walled gallery: thoughtful, strange, impossible to ignore.

Founded in 2012 by Natalia Alaverdian, A.W.A.K.E. Mode isn’t simply a brand. It’s an intellectual exercise in fashion — one that treats garments like puzzles, stories, and surrealist sketches brought to life.

A.W.A.K.E. (All Wonderful Adventures Kindle Enthusiasm) Mode offers a rare proposition:

Clothes that aren’t just designed — they’re composed.

This is not minimalism.
This is methodical disruption, where tailoring meets dream logic.

The Origins: A Stylist’s Rebellion

Before becoming a designer, Natalia Alaverdian was already shaping how women dressed. As a fashion director and stylist at Harper’s Bazaar Russia, she had an insider’s view into the machine of style. But she wasn’t satisfied with commentary — she wanted to create her own visual vocabulary.

So she launched A.W.A.K.E. in 2012 in London, and eventually evolved it into A.W.A.K.E. Mode — a rebranded version that better reflected the label’s deepening focus on silhouette, structure, and philosophy.

Her foundation? A mix of:

• Japanese anime surrealism
• Couture-level draping
• Animal motifs and art references
• Post-Soviet pragmatism

The result was (and is): one of the most distinct and intellectually consistent voices in contemporary womenswear.

---

The Brand Name: More Than Just Clever Acronym

“A.W.A.K.E.” stands for All Wonderful Adventures Kindle Enthusiasm — a childlike, poetic manifesto that belies the rigor of the clothing.

This naming structure is a contradiction on purpose — evoking warmth and playfulness while delivering garments that are sculptural, angular, and sometimes severe.

This duality is what defines the brand:

• Softness meets structure
• Whimsy meets severity
• The familiar becomes uncanny

---

The Aesthetic: Surrealist Tailoring for the Unbothered Woman

Where most brands chase “flattering” silhouettes, A.W.A.K.E. Mode redefines what form even means.

Natalia’s designs often:

• Feature asymmetrical tailoring
• Include one-legged trousers, half-coats, or deconstructed blazers
• Use padding, pleating, and exaggeration in unexpected areas
• Evoke animal shapes (swans, rabbits, crabs) through cut and proportion, not print

Clothes are often off-kilter but never off-balance — a mark of a designer who understands both technical precision and creative distortion.

It’s not designed to please — it’s designed to intrigue.

---

Signature Pieces

Over the years, A.W.A.K.E. Mode has introduced several fashion signatures:

The One-Leg Trousers

Iconic and polarizing — often worn by style risk-takers and street-style icons.

Oversized Blazers with Deconstructed Collars

Blending power dressing with architectural exaggeration.

Wide-Leg Crimped Trousers

Referencing ‘70s textures with 21st-century form.

Animal-Inspired Sleeves and Draping

Suggesting motion, myth, and creature identity.

These pieces aren’t just clothes — they’re talking points, collectibles, and sometimes provocations.

---

Material Language: Sculptural but Soft

A.W.A.K.E. Mode isn’t about flash — it’s about tactility and intention.

Fabric Used	Purpose/Effect
Japanese Crinkled Cotton	Adds crumpled texture to create motion in stillness
Technical Wool Blends	Maintains form while allowing body heat to shape the garment
Vegan Leather	Eco-conscious and reflective, used in modern tailoring
Satin & Organza	Adds fragility and dreamlike balance

Each fabric is chosen to defy traditional fall and flow, often forming angular silhouettes or subtle kinks in the drape — mimicking sculpture more than softness.

---

Sustainability: Quiet but Present

While not marketed as a green brand, A.W.A.K.E. Mode has leaned into ethical design through construction logic:

• Slow fashion by default – No reliance on trend cycles or excessive seasonal drops.
• Longevity through statement – Garments aren’t made to be replaced — they’re made to last as collectors’ items.
• Low-waste production models – Small batch runs, limited editions.
• Use of vegan leather and cruelty-free fabrics as artistic tools, not afterthoughts.

It’s not greenwashing. It’s anti-overproduction by design.

---

Celebrity & Editorial Impact

While never a celebrity-chasing brand, A.W.A.K.E. Mode has been quietly adopted by:

• Zendaya
• Tilda Swinton
• Janelle Monáe
• Kim Kardashian
• Tracee Ellis Ross
• Solange

Why them? Because these are women who don’t just wear fashion — they communicate through it.

And for stylists looking to make a runway moment editorial-worthy, A.W.A.K.E. Mode is often the go-to for structured drama.

---

Runway Strategy: Concept, Not Chaos

Unlike maximalist brands that stage runway spectacles, A.W.A.K.E. Mode’s fashion shows and presentations are:

• Understated
• Gallery-like
• Focused on silhouette over surface

Models often walk in silence, letting the clothes speak. The brand treats each show as an installation, not just a product release.

---

Who Buys A.W.A.K.E. Mode?

A.W.A.K.E. Mode attracts:

• Editors and stylists
• Architects and creatives
• Luxury minimalists with a surrealist streak
• Art collectors and gallery professionals
• Women who want thought, not trend, built into their wardrobe.

It’s not fast fashion. It’s fashion for those who think fast, and dress with intent.

---

The Retail Presence

You’ll find A.W.A.K.E. Mode not in mass retailers, but through curated platforms:

• MATCHESFASHION
• SSENSE
• Net-A-Porter
• Browns Fashion
• Farfetch
• The Frankie Shop (selected stock)

Each piece often sells out in small quantities, further cementing its cult status rather than mass saturation.

---

Comparison: A.W.A.K.E. Mode vs. Other Avant-Garde Designers

Designer	Philosophy	A.W.A.K.E. Mode’s Distinction
Comme des Garçons	Anti-fashion, deconstruction	A.W.A.K.E. is more emotional, tailored
JW Anderson	Playful British surrealism	A.W.A.K.E. has a colder, Eastern edge
The Row	Ultra-refined minimalism	A.W.A.K.E. is more sculptural, risk-taking
Y/Project	Subversive structure	A.W.A.K.E. is more poetic and intellectual
Loewe (Anderson)	Conceptual with luxury flourish	A.W.A.K.E. keeps conceptualism minimal

In essence, A.W.A.K.E. Mode sits at the intersection of costume and architecture, with a distinctly female gaze at its core.

---

SEO Keyword Opportunities

Here’s how to position A.W.A.K.E. Mode in high-intent Google search strategies:

Keyword	Intent	How This Article Satisfies It
“A.W.A.K.E. Mode brand review”	Informational	Explores aesthetic, founder, collections
“avant-garde luxury brands”	Informational	Establishes comparisons with peers
“structured womenswear designer”	Commercial	Highlights design signature and celebrity wear
“Natalia Alaverdian designer”	Biographical	Explores her origin story and POV
“one-leg pants designer brand”	Transactional	Refers to key product and shopping platforms

---

Final Thoughts: Why A.W.A.K.E. Mode Matters in Modern Fashion

A.W.A.K.E. Mode isn’t loud.
It isn’t seasonal.
It doesn’t shout “luxury” with logos or trend drops.

Instead, it carves space for a kind of wearable sculpture — thoughtful, rigorous, surreal, and subversive. Its clothing exists in the liminal space between fashion and gallery art. Between classic tailoring and conceptual rebellion.

In a fashion landscape where brands chase speed and spectacle, A.W.A.K.E. Mode dares to move like an idea — slowly, sharply, with intent.

It’s not just what you wear.
It’s what you’re willing to explore.

FAQs for the fashion label “A.W.A.K.E. Mode”

« Back to Glossary Index