JW Anderson
Even before watching the show, the stakes were high in JW Anderson being included in our favourite collections. Well, the stakes were right because we are starting with him. Of Anderson, we can expect fun, surrealism, maybe a couple of comically doll-esque looks, super cool accessories, and maybe an animal-shaped bag (the pigeon bag still flies around my mind from time to time). This collection was a sort of reflection of youth in two different but almost chronological ways..
The first look was as JW Anderson as it could get, not only in aesthetics but also in the way that often, when seeing his work, you have to spend at least a couple of minutes wondering how the hell that was constructed. This kind of looks like plasticine, but it can’t be, right? RIGHT? Well, of course it was. We are talking about the man who has attached a broken skateboard to a t-shirt. The use of this material alludes to the playful and childlike side of the brand, one that Anderson loves to reference and that serves as inspiration for often the most interesting and talked-about looks. Plasticine is also a British invention, so there’s that.
The three of these moulded looks were interspersed by the other two that were very much real fabric but whose construction and silhouette felt as unreal as the other, a couple of satisfyingly fitted and tailored blazers that curved and sat perfectly. The other youthful allusion comes from various pairings, techniques, and styling choices that give even the most simple looks the JW touch. Biker jackets and cargo pants are Gen Z’s new uniform (as seen not only on TikTok but in all fast fashion stores all around the world). We can see them too on this runway, but a slightly curved leg shape and a hood instead of the typical jacket collar truly make the difference.
A couple of rather elegant dresses that twist around the body are interrupted at the bottom by relaxed and unbothered knots and paired with beachy loafers, and some very classic trench coats are upgraded by a skirt-like addition to the usual belt these garments have. The surreal side of this brand is often linked to the process of clothing construction and how this can be altered. The idea of presenting bomber jackets and pants that allow the internal feathers to peek out is, for lack of better words, amazing. Not only is it visually interesting, but it also speaks about the reality of fashion. There’s way more to a piece than what the outside shows.
Photo: Filippo Fior / Gorunway.com