Eckhaus Latta presents in New York the Spring Summer 2023 collection; where images of Matthew Underwood’s artwork were printed on ribbed dresses
Eckhaus Latta behind a fluid design, experimental shows and performance art
On September 11, Eckhaus Latta unveiled the Spring/ Summer 2023 collection in New York’s educational community garden El Jardin Del Paraiso. This space, as a public park, aims at promoting environmental awareness while providing areas for recreation and outdoor events. The designers drew on their tactile and print-focused DNA, which has singled them out in the New York fashion scene for the last decade, showing Latta’s most provocative proposition.
Founders Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta first met at Rhode Island School of Design, where Latta studied textile design and Eckhaus studied sculpture. After graduating in 2010 Mike designed men’s accessories at Marc by Marc Jacobs. Zoe established her own textile company to design prints for international brands, including Calvin Klein and Proenza Schouler.
The inception of Eckahus Latta
The artistic duo launched the brand Eckahus Latta in 2012, showing their first collection in New York for Spring/Summer 2013. They wanted to make their label different from its peers thanks to its gender-neutral design; casting non – models in its show and through the use of unconventional fabrics like fishing lines and plastics.
The brand has been designing for what they call a ‘liberated audience’ for more than ten collections now. «We want people to wear our clothes to feel like they are adding something to them, not define them somehow».
Since 2013 the creative partnership aims to give life to a project that could liberate people from branding or marketing mechanisms, which make them feel inadequate. Previous partnerships include jewelry, audiovisual projects and the collaboration with numerous artists and footwear brands like Camper Together and Nike.
the Spring/Summer 2023 collection
«The world still feels a little fucked, but let’s have fun». Latta’s words leave no doubt. The collection was inspired by the ability to adhere to proper dress codes without sacrificing its trademark edge. It was a textured display of drapey netting, bold prints and statement color-blocking. Harpist Mary Lattimore began playing and models walked out in abstract metal knit tops; foil harnesses and colorful ribbed knit dresses.
«This season we felt rather optimistic and we tried to express that within the clothing» Eckhaus said after the show. «I feel there’s been a general sense of apathy that our community has been feeling, so this is our attempt to have fun».
Oversized Silhouettes
Amongst the troupe were musicians Ethel Cain, who wore a classy boucle jacket and matching skirt in ecru. Caroline Polachek, contemporary artist Martin Syms and the actress Hari Nef, who graced the walkway wearing a cream slip dress adorned with embroidered threads and covered in beads.
Silhouettes were slightly oversized, and the focus was on the back of the garments with interesting pockets and details. «Clothing is 360, and we wanted to have that juxtaposition of what people experience on the front of the body versus the back» explained Latta.
the collaboration with Matthew Underwood
Floral embroidered trousers secured unforeseen elevation from a built-in skirt with decorative tassels. Elsewhere texture chocolate knit sets ground the collection along with see through net cardigans and dresses bearing bold cut-outs.
Many pieces came emblazoned in artworks by Matthew Underwood, a close friend of Latta’s who died in 2019. Underwood was an artist from Rhode Island, prolific in visual, electronic and performance arts. Images of Underwood’s work were printed on ribbed dresses that, when worn, exposed the base color underneath, which creates an effect of depth. «He was a printmaker, someone who I had a creative dialogue with; printing on the textiles was like part of the experiment» explained the designer.
A donation to the Trevor Project
Presenting a color palette of cobalt blues, bright oranges and rich browns, the collection unveiled the artist’s dynamic prints alongside dazzling silver tops. The final look featured a tank and miniskirt with images of baskets filled with shells. The aim was to add a lot of tactility in the collection and knitwear was the perfect way to embody the celebration of Underwood’s work and a way to share that work with other people.
In celebration of Matt’s life and work, the designers have dedicated a donation to the Trevor Project in his name. The Trevor Project is an American Nonprofit organization, which focuses on suicide prevention efforts among the LGBTQ+ community.
Is the brand deconstructing fashion reality in our modern society?
Innovative and passionate, Matt Eckhaus and Zoe Latta put out innovative clothing that blends modern art with experimental fashion: in their vision, art and life have come full circle. They grew up, maturating their taste and managing to adapt and deconstruct materials throughout their colorful collections.
The brand – as the business couple has pointed out – is always parallel to the designers’ shifting tastes and things they are interested in. Their design is an incessant dialogue with the society, which follows an individual evolution: in the fractured context of the American fashion industry, the brand stands out for its evolving identity.
Experimental craft
The artistic duo craft in an experimental way, trying to create anything people haven’t done before. Since the days spent at the Rhode Island School of Design, a critical dialogue around a creative process has been integral to how Eckhaus and Latta communicate.
This relationship led them to achieve personal and professional goals: the brand exhibited projects, videos and collections at art institutions worldwide, including the 55th Venice Biennale, Gavin Brown’s Enterprise in New York city and Galerie Isabella Bortolozzi in Berlin.
Over the years, the partners question a lot about what things fit a certain gender. They declared how genderless clothing could be limited but how many items can be unisex. «We’ve spent a lot of time refining what we consider unisex. It doesn’t mean that a dress is meant for a woman, even though we tend to cut dresses with women’s anatomy in mind».
come as you are, do what you want
Eckaus Latta is menswear, it’s womenswear. As the designers explained, the brand is not gender neutral but it is more gender-curious. Elements of their design speak a unisex language for a come as you are, do what you want. They aim at normalizing sexuality and seeing beauty in the body.
This is the reason why for Latta and designer partner Echkaus, models are equally as relevant as the garments themselves. The casting for their Spring Summer ‘23collection was diverse in race, gender, size and general appearance.
Among them May Hong – who has walked in every single Eckhaus Latta show – in a black knot dress and Paloma Elsesser in a bubble cardigan with matching mini skirt.
That of Mark and Zoe is a cerebral, community-based approach to fashion. Long before the industry caught on, the artistic duo was championing non-binary models and androgynous clothing. Today the brand is expanding in new directions that feel nothing less than the future.
Eckhaus Latta SS23
On Saturday 11th September, Eckhaus Latta transformed New York’s El Jardin del Paraiso into a grassy runway for its Spring/Summer 2023 show. Unveiling the artworks of Latta’s friend Matthew Underwood, who passed away in 2019.
