Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy

Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta effortlessly achieve what many contemporary New York designers desperately pursue: a gritty coolness that isn’t merely a vague nod to the ’90s. It’s not the polished vision of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy filtered through Ryan Murphy; it’s what CBK might actually wear.

A high-necked black fur jacket paired with a sleek black pencil skirt; satin slip dresses and tops so airy they resemble barely-there mist; stretch jerseys constructed with subtle cutouts at the hip bones. Sexy, but not obvious. Eckhaus Latta grows more mature and refined with each season, yet, as one of the designers noted, the “pressure to make good, fancy rich-people clothes” has never been the point.

Instead, it’s about embracing an awkwardness that isn’t a pose or a performance, but a safe space – an undeniably chic one. And their tradition of casting real people only makes it all the more convincing.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Finally, a collection in New York that had a sense of tension – a spark! There was something undeniably sexy and smoky about Eckhaus Latta’s spring outing. I’ve always said that Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta would be the perfect fit for a truly successful Helmut Lang revival. They just have it in them. The collection’s second look – a black suit with a slashed belt worn by Cole Mohr – was electric in its simplicity and sensual regality. Likewise, the sleeveless black dress with a sheer skirt evoked the Yohji Yamamoto number Carolyn Bessette Kennedy adored. In fact, looking at this collection, I found myself thinking about Carolyn and John F. Kennedy Jr. – their style (a topic that will never cease to fascinate Substackers) and their passionate (and at times tumultuous) relationship. Yet alongside this unexpected elegance, the collection also embraced a more raw, straightforward take on New York sexiness, such as the abs-exposing t-shirts. Even in their most mature collection to date, Mike and Zoe never shy away from a mischievous twist.