Anderson’s name has come to light over the past five years. Claiming to have an own self confessed ‘obsessive’ way of working, J.W.Anderson’s growth and how he has exploded in the fashion industry is explained. With many developments to his career, his attitude and structure to his businesses and opportunities have brought successful season after successful season. Anderson doesn’t consider himself an artist- nor does he consider fashion an art form, the idea of fashion being ephemeral doesn’t faze him. Anderson speaks and adds ‘I will never see fashion as an art form, I see it as being more mechanical’ and he is confident to say ‘I like the idea that there is a shelf life to it’. Although believing in working in a mechanical way the young designer feels that he works very emotionally, expressing that he has ‘no addictions outside of work’ so his addiction is process of fashion. This addiction is shown through the background of his designing and the philosophy behind the collections and garments. The first collection to be launched for J.W.Anderson in 2008 was menswear garments after graduating London College of Fashion with a menswear degree. But by 2010 Jonathan expanded his collection and built a capsule collection for women due to a high response from fans.
Every year since then, J.W.Anderson has produced two menswear and womenswear collections a year, resort, pre-fall and additional projects like his guest work for Versus along with being creative head for LOEWE. This none stop approach to the fashion industry has paid off through an impressive stockiest that sell and present J.W.Anderson’s collections. This includes the like of Saks Fifth Avenue, Opening Ceremony, Dover Street Market and Barneys and Jeffrey in the US. European stockiest includes Selfridges, Le Bon Marche and Printemps as well as Asian companies Joyve, Isetan and 10 Corso Como and many online shopping destinations for J.W.Anderson pieces. As I have always watched and followed the work of Anderson, it was interesting to find out his own influences and themes behind his unique, sophisticated yet organic collections and their link through the seasons. There is a clear philosophy behind one of London’s most innovative and forward thinking brands, the theme of Androgynous aesthetics, the relationship between male and female. A modern nterpretation of masculinity and femininity creating thought provoking silhouettes through a cross-pollination between menswear and womenswear elements. This idiosyncratic perspective to fashion earned J.W.Anderson a cult following and large fan base through this developing career.
Awards and partnerships are other apects that Jonathan Anderson has gained since his graduation. J.W.Anderson evolved into an internationally renowned and award winning brand through achieving the British Fashion Awards for ‘Emerging Talent’ along with ‘Ready to Wear’ in 2013 and the receiving the new establishment award in 2013, proving a successful couple of years of the young designers. Along with awards, sponsorships and partnerships with put forward for the company. London’s NEWGEN sponsorship was given to J.W.Anderson along with gaining the new minority investment from LVMH. Helped Anderson move creative space from an unheated basement in Shacklewell Lane into a three-story building with an e-commerce studio where he and his stylist Benjamin Bruno will no longer freeze in the winters. The philosophy behind J.W.Anderson is a very personal, emotional journey to the creative head but something that is close to his heart is the consistency and effectiveness of teamwork. ‘My Dad was an Irish nation rugby player. He’s always drilling it into me: ‘It’s all about your team!’ quotes Jonathon Anderson.
Then adds ‘having a partner who are able to fold you into their manufacturing capabilities, is something that makes a huge difference’ after his recent collaborations with the investment from France’s Kering group showing that the obsessive worker prides himself through his team. ‘Sometimes people are curious to know how we do all of it, but ultimately you do it because it’s the only thing that keeps you going’. A powerful, determine and passionate quote from a designer that in my eyes has not formed into one of most organic and successful body in the fashion industry. But through his way of working and concepts behind J.W.Anderson itself has naturally brought Jonathan Anderson a building career. Consistency, mechanically, confident, emotional and expressive but in a settle and organic style revisiting the past years and Andersons study and relationship with his philosophy, that’s J.W.Anderson to me. It’s now time to see what the coming years, multiple seasons and collections that are in the mist of being created bring to the companies cult and interested fashion bodies that have a close eye on this innovative designer, Jonathan Anderson.
“I will never see fashion as an art form. I see it as being more mechanical”
“You have to let yourself open up to the idea of wrongness, as a designer you want to evolve”
“People are curious to know how we do all of it, but ultimately you do it because it’s the only thing that keeps you going”
“I’ve never gone out to do anything controversial, I find it mundane that people think that”
`You cannot compare an artist to a designer; I think it’s a very different proposition. Fashion is reduced, art doesn’t necessarily happen that way”
Fashion is an archetype: you’re trying to build a silhouette, and that is very similar to building up a building.