Prairie Underground Pop-Up: Participant Spotlight on Camilla Eckersley
Today we’re sitting down with Camilla Eckersley to talk about her ethical and locally-produced clothing brand, Prairie Underground, a beloved Seattle staple of 20 years. Through the Seattle Restored pop-up program, Prairie Underground is moving from a primarily wholesale and e-commerce business model to selling direct retail to customers in a brick-and-mortar storefront in Belltown.
Q: Tell us about your business. What inspired your pop-up concept?
Prairie Underground was founded in 2005 by two best friends from Nebraska, Camilla Eckersley and Davora Lindner. Our shared passion for artistic freedom, self-expression, and a vision for a better world led us to create a brand that would stand for innovation and sustainability. After moving to Seattle, we launched Prairie Underground with the goal of crafting fashion that is not only forward-thinking but also environmentally and socially conscious. We were proud to be one of the early pioneers in the sustainable fashion space.
After 20 years in business primarily focusing on wholesale and ecommerce, we wanted to more fully explore direct retail. A pop-up felt like the perfect way to test the waters and connect directly with customers in a more personal, immediate way. We were inspired by the idea of creating a space that not only showcases our products but also tells our brand story and reflects the community we’re part of.
Q: Why did you apply for Seattle Restored? how will this opportunity help you reach your goals?
Seattle Restored has given us the opportunity to build brand awareness in a fresh way, gain firsthand feedback from customers, and test ideas that can help shape a more permanent retail strategy down the line. It also gives us the chance to be part of a larger movement to activate vacant storefronts and breathe life into local neighborhoods.
Q: What’s the most rewarding part of your business? how do you hope to impact the community?
The most rewarding part of our business is seeing people connect with what we do—whether that’s through a product that becomes part of their daily life, a story we tell through our space, or seeing our long-term customers walk through the door. Our hope is to be more than just a shop: we want to contribute to a vibrant local economy, support other creatives and small businesses, and create a welcoming space where community can gather, share, and grow.
And the Belltown neighborhood has been so welcoming! Many local small businesses have introduced themselves and expressed how excited they are to have us as neighbors. We are also just as excited to be in Belltown!
Q: Is there anything else you’d like our blog readers to know about you or your business?
Ethical, local production has been a cornerstone of our company since day one. All of our garments are sewn locally by our talented team of full-time sewers and independent contractors based just minutes from our studio in Seattle. This proximity allows us to maintain high-quality control while building long-lasting relationships within our community. We are deeply committed to this model, as it ensures fair wages and supports the local economy.
We’re also incredibly passionate about collaboration. Our pop-up isn’t just a store—it’s a space to discover new local talent, showcase rotating artists, and host micro-events that spark creativity and connection. We’re proud to feature several local vendors, including Shelli Markee, Karra Wise, Mirage Studio, ONYX + PETAL, Leisure Syndicate, and EH Works.
We’re also excited to be participating in the Belltown Art Walk. In April, we featured work by Katie Harkins in our space, and in May we showcased art by Mujer Woo.
Q: Do you have any events or collaborations coming up?
We are so excited to host Seattle-based artist Trisha Gilmore for Belltown Art Walk on Friday, June 13th. Trisha is an acrylic painter who is inspired by botanical and flower imagery. She works intuitively to create compositions focusing on color and fragmented lines and shapes. Stop by and see her incredible work from 6:00-9:00pm – it’s FREE to attend during the art walk!
We also want to invite the public to come explore the joy of personal expression through textile embellishment. Embellish Me! is a playful, hands-on in-store event held on Sunday, June 22nd where you can personalize your wearables with unique touches that reflect your own style and spirit. Choose from a colorful array of reclaimed Prairie Underground fabric scraps—think soft textures and bold patterns from past seasons—or stitch your own scene, border, or detail with colorful embroidery floss. This is a FREE event, and you can drop in anytime between 12:00-3:00pm.
You can find more details on our Instagram or our events calendar: prairieunderground.com/events/
Q: If you could give one piece of advice to locals, what would it be?
Please consider buying local! Seattle has become such an expensive city. The only way we will keep our artists, makers, designers, and creatives in Seattle is if we support them!
Q: What’s your favorite Seattle Restored activation, and why?
There are so many to love—I can’t choose just one! I’m a huge fan of Seattle ReCreative, located just down the street from our workshop in Georgetown. Their commitment to reuse aligns with our values, and somehow, they manage to keep their space so organized and accessible! In Pioneer Square, I love FRIDA—an elegant, beautifully arranged space with thoughtfully curated clothing. I’m also really excited to check out Curvy Cactus, a new used clothing store specializing in larger sizes. And I love Mixed Pantry, just down the street from us, a beautiful shop specializing in Asian ingredients and sauces. These businesses truly embody what Seattle Restored is all about.
Q: Where would you take visitors or a group of friends for a fun, relaxed experience in Seattle?
Though it’s not exactly relaxing, a walk through Pike Place Market is definitely worth it—even for locals, it never gets old. From there, you can take a more peaceful stroll along the waterfront to the Sculpture Park, then grab drinks at a cozy neighborhood bar in Capitol Hill or Ballard. I also recommend heading south on Rainier Avenue to Columbia City and Hillman City. And if it’s summer, consider ending the day at Alki or Golden Gardens to catch the sunset.
Q: What are you looking forward to the most in the coming year?
We’re really excited about our upcoming collections! This Summer, we’ll be introducing innovative new silhouettes and fresh colorways, alongside returning customer favorites. And we’re especially looking forward to our lush velvet pieces coming this Fall!
We’re also excited to keep exploring new ways of doing retail—building more community collaborations and continuing to deepen our roots here in Seattle.
vISIT PRAIRIE UNDERGROUND POP-UP
Address:
2006 1st Ave
Seattle, WA 98101
Open hours:
Thursday – Saturday: 11am-6pm
Sunday: 11am-5pm
Dates: April 3 – August 31, 2025