Ettra is a design studio founded by Mathilde Bess, grounded in the principles of universal design and driven by a deep commitment to inclusion, collaboration, and care. The studio explores clothing as a space where identity, body, and society intersect using design as a tool to question norms, foster connection, and imagine new modes of being.

At the core of Ettra’s practice is the belief that fashion can be both socially engaged and aesthetically ambitious. Rather than designing for an idealised or standard body, each piece is developed through close dialogue with wearers, using methods such as co-design and user participation. This process allows garments to emerge from lived experience, reflecting the diverse ways bodies inhabit and move through the world.

Based on the principles of universal design, Bess has aimed to create clothing that can be used by both people with and without disabilities. The garments are specifically designed with the needs of seated individuals in mind. Needs that are not exclusive to wheelchair users, but are also relevant to many others who spend most of their day sitting. This approach opens up for designs that are both more inclusive and more comfortable for a broader audience.

Ettra works with a combination of traditional craft and digital methods, and prioritises sustainability through made-to-order production and the use of deadstock or responsibly sourced materials. Every garment is created in Bess’s Copenhagen studio, with the intention of lasting, both materially and emotionally.

Ettra sees fashion not just as an industry, but as a cultural language with the power to tell stories, shift perspectives, and invite care. Through its work, the studio challenges what clothing can be, who it is for, and how it can contribute to a more inclusive and reflective design culture.

Mathilde Bess, founder