ECCO Launch New Footwear Vision at Epic London Party (Feat. Jorja Smith)
PSA: just threw one of the slickest parties of 2023 to celebrate the new collection designed by Natacha Ramsay-Levi. Located in a surreal venue hidden behind Victorian shopfronts, the event included blasts of flavour by Danish tastemaker Bille Brahe and live beats by Jorja Smith. A brand on a remarkable run in 2023, ECCO were of course also serving up plenty of heat on the footwear front. All designed by Parisian wunderkind Natacha Ramsay-Levi, the collection of 15 styles included a fresh take on the legendary Chelsea Boot and the BIOM C-Trail – the latter of which is a lightweight, GORPcore original ready to blaze its own path. Strap in as we take a closer look at ECCO’s latest footwear innovations and recap a wild night in Spitalfields.
The space itself was bewildering to behold. Artists Philip and Charlotte Colbert enlisted the design expertise of Buchanan Studio earlier this year to turn their Victorian English country house into an oozing, pop-art infused gallery that expands 6,000 square feet. Part private home, part gallery, the five-story artwork is filled with four main symbols that are close to the hearts of the Colberts: The Lobster, Uterus, the Cactus, and the Eye. Lobster claws protrude from every space imaginable – some are Medusa-like and decapitated, while others roam chess sets, tables, book shelves or telephones. It was the perfect setting for the celebration of an innovative and forward-thinking collection.
With everyone's appetites whet from the tripped-out crustaceans, it was time for Danish chef Bille Brahe to do his thing. Overhauling the Danish culinary scene with his laid-back attitude and background in music, Brahe is the brains behind a trio of Copenhagen stalwarts. Known as much for their food as the fashion (Londoners swear that Apollo Bar’s avo toast is the best on the planet), Brahe’s restaurants have long served as sartorial outposts for Copenhagen’s cool kids.
Adding to the line-up of talent in the house was Jorja Smith, who laid out new tracks from her EP, Falling or Flying, in the vast basement exhibition space down below. Stunning the audience with her ethereal pipes, the intimate set was also replete with fan-favourites from the archive, including the track that shot her to fame in 2018, ‘Blue Lights’.
For ECCO, it was the product that was doing all the talking. Natacha Ramsay-Levi was Ghesquière's right hand at Balenciaga for more than a decade, and she has now taken her design skills over to ECCO to create footwear for modern women on the move. The 15-piece collection was planted throughout the venue, mixing in seamlessly with the style of the Colbert's space.
‘There is a quiet confidence to ECCO which I love,’ says Ramsay-Levi. ‘They know who they are, what they do, and control how they do it. And because they have this trust and awareness and knowledge, they can take risks. There is something very special, super authentic, super true about ECCO, I’m very impressed by the way everything is done – from technical innovations to the culture.’
One of the footwear highlights was no doubt the BIOM C-Trail, a seamless combination of elevated high fashion with streetwear attributes that will no doubt find numerous homes in the boroughs of East London. Fused with full-grain ECCO leathers (made in their own tanneries), GORPcore and bold colourways, the silhouette also features all the latest tech from the lab, including ECCO FLUIDFORM and BIOM Natural motion.
The ECCO Grainer boot, an experimental take on the iconic Chelsea Boot, was also getting plenty of attention. Another bolt of inspiration from Ramsay-Levi, the Grainer incorporates the premium look and feel of a Chelsea boot, albeit set on more colourful, rubber-lugged outsoles.
It goes without saying that we can’t wait to clamp our claws into this collection. Recently celebrating their 60th birthday, ECCO are looking more refreshed and recharged than ever.
Shop the latest collection by Natacha Ramsay-Levi x ECCO right here.