By Julia Peterson
Los Angeles, CA, (The Hollywood Times) 01/10/24- The original streetwear brand, ECKŌ UNLTD. recently celebrated its milestone 30th anniversary last November 2023. For this celestial occasion, the company reunited with its co-founder and creator, graffiti artist Marc Eckō to collaborate on a limited-edition capsule release entitled “Dear 1993.art” paying homage to the year that it all started.
The brand also additionally released ECKŌ UNLTD. “Archival Edition” a collection inspired by highly coveted archival pieces that defined the company since 1993.The collection adds a new modern twist to the original foundation pieces from earlier years.
The famous rhino brand two limited edition collections were made for the community that brought ECKŌ UNLTD. to where it is today as well as those who found the company throughout the years. It is crazy that in 1993 Marc Eckō, graffiti artist, quit college to start his own business with nothing but delusions of grandeur that led to ECKŌ UNLTD, Complex Magazine and then Complex Network.
Eckō started off selling spray painted T-shirts than full-scale apparel that was heavily embraced by street culture and the hip-hop community because the company spotlighted graffiti, art, hip-hop music, skaters and so on. There have been 30 years of community loyalty to
ECKŌ UNLTD and that is hard for a company to accomplish let alone for that amount of time. Speaks loud about the quality, detailed and consistency throughout and I know Temu is out there shaking in fear at the very thought.
It was amazing that despite his busy schedule Marc Eckō was able to do an interview to speak about the wonderful collaboration as well as a shoutout to Team Epiphany for making it all possible.
Love Letter from the Rhino King
ECKŌ UNLTD. The 30th anniversary was the perfect moment for Marc Eckō to release “Dear 1993.art” a love letter to the community that always been there to embrace his creative ideas, and artistic pursuits.
The 13-piece capsule features an elevated collection of multi-technique embroidered fleece tops and vibrant graphic teas. The ECKŌ UNLTD. x Dear1993.art prices range from $60 to $285. Popular pieces included:
- Do The Knowledge Rhino Hoodie
- Prayer Warrior Rhino Hoodie
- World Famous OG Sticker Tee
Marc Eckō crafted a short form video to showcase his written love letter that was directed by the talented multimedia artist GLASSFACE. The letter highlighted the history of the company from its inception with behind-the-scenes footage and candid moments. T
he rhino logo that was part of Ecko’s street tag as an artist and represents strength and a fighting spirit is now famously associated with ECKŌ UNLTD. He got the idea for rhino by being inspired by his father’s wooden collection of rhinoceros figures. The company stands for both the untamed spirit and limitless power.
Lasting Influence
I ask Eckō if he imagine that in 1993 that the T-shirts company, he had would be still standing 30 years later? I liked the answer he gave, it was so real, but then you find out he is a Virgo, and it all makes perfect sense.
“I didn’t know the path but I think I had to have enough sort of delusions of grandeur to enter the way that I did and as someone who grew up with like brands like Polo, Timberland, Nike, and Lacoste whatever,” he said. “I just thought I was you know making my way, you know, yeah but I had those ambitions so I wasn’t trying to just be like a flavor of the month thing, that was not interesting to me”
Creation of The Collections
Hearing about how the collections came together was fascinating to me because from the early start you can see that everyone involved was passionate about being able to be part of creating memorable pieces. Nostalgia filled the air as old team members and Eckō reunited for this collaboration.
“I knew that I wanted to do it in a way, I could reengage some of my old friends, and people that I have not been in contact with,” he said. “I knew that sort of seating and being able to give it as almost a love letter to the year that we started and then make it something that I can manage with a pretty busy life and job.
“I wanted to do something very spontaneous feeling I want to overthink it so it was like it felt very liberating in that way and because I did not have to worry about like all the manufacturing details, I knew I could trust my partners from history that felt it was just like a sense of like just to focus on the design and you are in good hands, and it made it very made it frictionless.”
Arts and Authenticity
As an artist, what is your responsibility to the audience you create for? “
I’ve learned that an artist’s great responsibility is to be truthful and to be truth seeker,” Marc Ecko said. “I think you should be honest and authentic, and that is the responsibility, so I have kind of a very rocky history of building this business, it was not like an easy predictable path and I’ve never ever sugar coated that.
“I like to share where I’m really at, and when I wrote my book years ago a lot of people that were close to me that were like oh it’s not a good look, you’re being too honest and I’m lik
e that’s my job you know I don’t think there’s such a thing as being too honest.”
Competition and Edge
This is his message about competition in business and life.
“I don’t think about the top or the edge I think it’s like Bruce Lee says you know like be like water; I do not operate in this sort of mode of like I am doing this to be the best or to be the quintessential or because that’s sort of like external forces saying I want validation,” he said. “If I am being my best and I am playing within the constraints of my condition, reality, resources, and time, it goes to that sort of responsibility of truthfulness and being authentic. I have put the focus of my work in my career and even the work that I do now in that kind of mode.”
Next Artistic Venture
“I like to think of being generative and fruitful so in that manner regardless of what I am working on I’m looking for a generative and fruit bearing outcome,” Marc Ecko Said. “I approach it like its art so if it is my work at Emerson and in philanthropy or high school redesign. I really approach problem solving as an artist and even though I’m not playing in say a medium like painting, illustrating, fashion, or media.
“I inhabit an approach that works with the intention and the goal of making something on the other side. In terms of answering your question, I am working on a film project for my old video game that I did years ago called ‘Getting Up.’ It is going to be exciting after all these years to see the revolutionary graffiti game put onto our screen and brought into life in that medium.”
Inspired by a passionate fan who customized and directed a three-minute sample test shoot-age video of the game as a pitch to Eckō himself. There are also talks about future collaborations with ECKŌ UNLTD.
Community
The brand is heavily embraced today especially in the especially with the youth, without groups such as street culture or the hip hop community would ECKŌ UNLTD be as successful?
“No, the sum is greater than the parts the whole is greater than the parts and I was lucky to come up in the window that I did, of time in space, where there was this emergence at the time counterculture phenomenon that was happening,” he said. “It was like a crew thing it was an energy of building that was happening, and that was and remains a deeply important and defining fundamental foundation for my life and my career. I am specifically grateful to come up when I came up because I got to be a part of those early classes graduating from this experience.
“There was this energy, this counterculture energy, and this is pre internet, YouTube, and Instagram so coming up in that million was special and built an important cultural foundation that affected I think western culture and America. I am grateful and it is what 30 years later because people who know and people who have messed with me and have come across orbit than in orbit intersected.
“People trust me and I have been truthful and authentic the whole time so that pays off and 30 years later even with the exercise we did with these small capsules just being able to touch the brand even if just for a moment means a lot to the fans and to me, I am so grateful.”
The two limited edition collections are both still available to purchase at Ecko.com connecting the past, present and future. ECKŌ UNLTD. Aka the world-famous rhino brand standing 30 years tall with untamed spirit and limitless power of the herd.
Love to 1993 babies ECKŌ UNLTD, and Rebecca Bremner(sister) and her baby Dominic.
Tags: Marc Eckō, ECKŌ UNLTD, Fashion, Artist, Complex, Entrepreneur, Ecko30Years
