As someone with an affinity for preppy yet practical pieces (think drawstring pants, barn jackets), there is no shortage of J.Crew in my closet. But Eckhaus Latta? Now, that’s a NYC brand—beloved by cool girls for its avant-garde construction and experimental designs—that I haven’t dipped my toes into yet.
So, when news broke that the J.Crew x Eckhaus Latta collaboration “challenged the Rollneck Sweater’s proportions and reconsidered how it could be worn,” I knew it was the perfect time to welcome designers Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta to my fall-winter wardrobe.
It's worth noting that the circa-1988 Rollneck Sweater—known for its tubular collar, ribbed cuffs, and figure-swallowing silhouette—has become one of my signature sweaters. I even tested the divisive Tiny Rollneck (spoiler: I loved it). But the J.Crew x Eckhaus Latta Rollneck isn’t a copy-and-paste recreation of the original. Nor is it identical to the debut collaboration between brands back in February 2026.
That’s right, before committing to an entire 27-piece collection—ranging from classic coats and eccentric knitwear to ‘80s-inspired rugby shirts and cool-girl chinos—Eckhaus Latta joined J.Crew's New York Fashion collaboration, featuring five independent designers and their takes on the storied Rollneck shape.
“When we were asked to do [the original Rollneck,] we were like, ‘This garment feels so Eckhaus Latta,’” the co-creative directors tell Marie Claire over email. “Working together on that item was exciting, and both parties really clicked. So when we embarked on the larger collection, the fluidity of approach in designing the first Rollneck just rolled along—pun intended.”
Olympia Gayot, J.Crew's creative director of women’s wear, adds that Eckhaus Latta's first Rollneck sold out almost immediately. “It was clear that people were responding not only to the sweater, but to the creative dialogue between our brands,” she tells Marie Claire. “That success created a foundation of trust and made us curious about what could happen if we expanded the conversation across an entire wardrobe.”
This time around, Eckhaus Latta debuted not one, but three Rollneck Sweaters, each “considered with the same depth of subversion to create something that is familiar but has a twist that gives it the essence of the collaboration,” according to the design duo. “We approached the collection by playing with texture, proportion, and construction, taking familiar J.Crew pieces and shifting them through an Eckhaus Latta lens—that thinking carries through [to] the Rollnecks: a ribbed take on the classic, the return of the Rollneck from this past February in a new colorway, and a matching kids’ version.”
The J.Crew x Eckhaus Latta Rollneck is the darkest Rollneck in my ever-expanding collection, following the tomato red and striped pink-and-brown styles. While this rendition still features 100 percent cotton, it's slightly more fitted. That was a win for me, given most of the Rollnecks in my regular rotation are supersized. Thanks to the blend of charcoal gray, army green, and purple colors, it’s also one of the coolest knits in my closet; every time I wear it, which is quite often because it’s more breathable than other Rollnecks, I’ve gotten compliments.
The uneven pops of purple on each cuff, my favorite design detail, were intentional. “There is an implied unfinished quality that we have explored in our work for years,” the design duo says. “The hand and ease have an everydayness that we strive to have in our garments, so it was a bizarrely natural process reinterpreting J.Crew’s iconic classics.”
I paired the style with the Paneled Mini Skirt, which was a few centimeters too short for my taste, so I added beige biker shorts. To play with pops of purple, I accessorized with my plum bucket bag by Cuyana, letting the sweater-and-skirt do most of the talking.
The non-Rollneck designs—including the pleated skirt—drew inspiration from “a huge box of catalogs and archival materials,” per Gayot. “They came back with an incredible edit from an era of J.Crew that felt a little grunge, a little downtown, and ultimately very cool, while still being rooted in classics,” she says. “Mike and Zoe never treated the archives as something that needed to be replicated exactly—they used them as a starting point, preserving the familiarity and wearability of J.Crew while giving each piece enough tension to make you look twice.”
Lucky for me, Eckhaus and Latta didn’t stop after one Rollneck was ready. Instead, they took the transformation a step further, switching the sweater’s signature stockinette stitch for the softest, most cloud-like cashmere-merino wool blend. I will warn you: It’s the warmest option in my knitwear drawer, but that’s exactly what makes it perfect for late winter looks. I can't wait to battle below 40-degree days in this.
I paired its cool-toned taupe ribbing with the Double-Waisted Chino Pants, which gave a J.Crew Classic (straight-slim chinos) the Eckhaus Latta Look: an extra, unexpected waistband and a higher-waisted fit.
The “Beige Buckhorn” color brought out the Rollneck’s earthy hues, but even on their own, the chinos are the made-for-fall, non-denim bottoms that my closet has been missing. They adapted to my curvy figure: just big enough around the waist to require a belt, but perfect in every other department, including length. (With my five-foot frame, that never happens.)
To finish the outfit on an Eckhaus Latta-esque note, I shade-matched my sold-out, high-vamp ballet flats from J.Crew to a suede, top-handle tote by Mark & Graham. Altogether, the look felt like a muted-meets-daring moment that I would’ve spotted in the campaign, which Eckhaus and Latta described as “a house party where everyone is invited.”
That’s what I appreciate most about the J.Crew x Eckhaus Latta Rollnecks: Setting aside the top-notch materials, bold color combinations, and meaningful reimagining of heritage styles, the collaboration stands out for its versatility. From office-appropriate button-downs and polished pencil skirts to unconventional cardigans and remodeled Rollnecks, there’s something for everyone in the limited-edition line.
“We wanted the collection to feel open rather than prescriptive, with pieces that invite people into our world and give them the freedom to wear them entirely on their own terms,” Gayot says. “Each of these pieces finds that balance between the recognizable and the unexpected, which is what makes the collection so special.”