New York – Eckhaus Latta: Possessed is the Whitney Museum of Art’s first fashion exhibition in 21 years.
The fashion design duo, who are known for their experimental and youthful approach to luxury, are using the exhibition to show fashion as a contemporary art and a means to explore desire and consumption. To do this, the designers created a three-part experience: zone one is a gallery that displays iconic advertising campaigns, while zone two is a fully functioning store, complete with a fitting room and cashier, containing exclusive pieces by Eckhaus Latta and contributing artists.
Zone three resembles an unseen part of the shopping experience – the store’s CCTV footage. By allowing visitors to observe footage from the designers’ Los Angeles store and a livestream of the exhibition itself, Eckhaus Latta is satisfying shoppers’ voyeuristic tendencies.
By going beyond their specialisms and entering the world of contemporary art, fashion designers are taking a pivotal role in curating culture. In 2017, JW Anderson opened a multidisciplinary exhibition at The Hepworth Wakefield.