Eckhaus Latta may have 17 seasons under their belt, and an unusually high success rate of getting editors and fans of the label to trek out to Bushwick for their shows, but Zoe Eckhaus and Mike Latta are often categorized with New York’s emerging designers. Which, let’s face it, with two stores and a legion of stockists—they’re just not.
With their AW20 show Tuesday evening, that became quite clear. First and foremost, the show was held in Lower Manhattan, in a warm, wood-trimmed storefront that was formerly home to an Abercrombie & Fitch. Models descended the carpeted stairs in looks that took their beloved styles to a new level—their signature denim jeans and vests sported unfinished hems and edges, or acid wash. They also debuted their first full menswear line (not that they’ve ever been that concerned with gender), which featured a number of oversize trenches (very useful, given the unrelenting rain this week) and larger vintage-inspired knits in checkered, striped, and watercolor variations. But perhaps most exciting was when the decidedly not-so-neon brand offered up an inspirational moment in the form of neon tailoring—bright orange, highlighter yellow, and eye-catching pink slips and separates punctuated the collection.
It’s apparent that the designers’ focus this season was not only on creating timeless pieces that will be cherished for many years, but expanding the Eckhaus oeuvre in every which way. In addition, the designers were not just looking to their own very bright future, but that of our planet. They also partnered with TheRealReal, to style their new collection with vintage shoes, including pre-owned Prada, Chanel, and Manolo Blahnik. Somehow, however, every pair seemed placed firmly within the Eckhaus Latta world. This is the distinct brilliance of Mike and Zoe—creating a new vision of American design, and a new world, out of the bones of the old one.
