“Does she even own a computer?” Once considered an insult, the quip was now posited as a compliment by Eckhaus Latta in its SS27 show notes last Friday (September 11). The bi-coastal label – founded by former Rhode Island School of Design classmates Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta – has a long history of making clothes for art school kids and the downtown set.

Including several looks from their recent J. Crew collaboration, it’s perhaps no surprise that there was an air of old-school preppiness to the collection, including collared cardigans, striped rugby shirts and chunky fisherman knits. But rather than coming off as stiff and buttoned up, the new pieces felt as relaxed, tactile and wearable as the label’s previous output. There was no shortage of skin-bearing moments, though, with mesh dresses, sheer skirts and bare chests all appearing on the runway. “It feels good to sweat in order to sweat again,” was the suggestive aside from the label’s show notes.

But if the schoolboy ensembles and sheer styles didn’t make it clear enough, Eckhaus Latta is staying playful with their designs, something that was also made obvious by the fashion show hijinks. Upon sitting, guests were given an envelope that was not to be opened until laughter was heard. Inside the envelope, it turned out, was confetti for tossing at the models as they walked by. As for the show’s end? That was signalled by none other than a troupe of acapella singers, a finale that felt in line with the overall message of the collection: fashion can still be fun. 

Scroll through the gallery at the top of the page for the entire SS27 collection