There are two kinds of New Yorkers; the ones who relish in the hipster tendencies of Bushwick and its buoyant community, and the ones who let out a loud sigh whenever the artsy 'colony' is mentioned in their presence. Whatever your inclination is, there’s one thing that everyone can agree upon; the district has been a breeding ground of creativity for many of New York’s youngest and most promising creatives. It has been a place united by people who come together to make art and fashion a socio-political statement, not compromising their unique visual aesthetic.
That community was felt today at LVMH Prize-nominated Eckhaus Latta’s S/S 19 show. Guests gathered in front of one of the many warehouses located deep in the seemingly abandoned and excessively wide streets of Bushwick. After a freight elevator ride to the 5th floor, a huge room filled with plastic garden chairs wrapped around white columns was revealed. Sophie Stone rugs with makeshift instruments on top took up part of the space. Once guests were seated, Brian Chippendale and The Young People Orchestra started hammering on the instruments. At first, it was confusing and slightly unsettling, but after a while, it took up a meditative rhythm - not unlike the Hare Krishnas at Union Square - as the first model walked out in a beautifully cut green transparent check dress.
What followed was signature Eckhaus Latta: tie-dye denim, loosely knitted tops, pants and dresses, cow-hive prints, and models of all shapes, sizes and ages. Frankly, a melting pot that perfectly depicts everything Bushwick stands for. However, something prevailed after carefully reading the poem which took place of a press release:
JUST FROM LISTENING, I DEDUCED THAT SOMEONE NEW HAD MOVED IN
I LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE NEIGHBOR BOY HAD JUST GONE THROUGH PUBERTY
THAT’S ALL
A RESIGNATION LETTER, AN APOLOGY LETTER, A THANK YOU NOTE, ONE OF THOSE ONES YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE SENT SEND
SHADE STRUCTURES ON SPEAKERPHONE
The print filled with blue crosses (the ones you put on a ballot, not the ones in church), the play with transparency and stripes, the drawstring suit jackets and the oversized slouchy shoulders, all seemed to represent a clear political message ready for the 2018 United States House of Representatives elections on November 6th 2018: WE WANT CHANGE, WE WANT TRANSPARENCY, WE WANT YOU TO VOTE!
