The Creative Collaborations of J.W.Anderson
The UK's most exciting young designer who's gender challenging creations are some of the most sought after in fashion.
J.W.ANDERSON
J.W.Anderson is the eponymous brand of the Northern Irish designer Jonathan Anderson, one of the most exciting British talents in fashion today. Established in 2008, J.W.Anderson was first as an elaborate collection of accessories before progressing to menswear and later womenswear. J.W.Anderson's unique design aesthetic offers a modern interpretation of masculinity and femininity by creating thought-provoking silhouettes through a conscious cross-pollination between menswear and womenswear elements. Jonathan Anderson describes himself as an editor, cutting-and-pasting different influences to create a style all his own. This approach has won him rapid commercial success and critical acclaim in equal measure. In 2015, J.W.Anderson received an historic double award for ‘Menswear’ and ‘Womenswear Designer of the Year’, the first time any brand has ever won both prestigious awards.
Audience at J.W. Anderson Show (2016) by Jonathan William AndersonOriginal Source: British Fashion Council
J.W.Anderson Autumn / Winter 2016 Collection at London Fashion Week.
COLLABORATIONS
Jonathan Anderson is one of the first generation of true 'digital natives' to become a globally recognised fashion creative director. The process that J.W.Anderson uses to create its clothes relies upon collaboration, appropriation and the blurring of the traditional boundaries of art & fashion. Jonathan Anderson explains “The next generation has become more liberated. You can take a bit from here and a bit from that. But we don’t get precious – there’s not the preciousness of owning things.”
J.W.ANDERSON WORKSHOPS
Inspired by the Bloomsbury Group's Omega Workshops, J.W.Anderson has created a series of workshops where art and commerce come together. In the age of Instagram and disposal digital culture the brand looks to create physical artworks that stay true to the craft of the original Bloomsbury Group. Jonathan Anderson Workshops have seen a series of collaborations with a diverse range of talents, from artists to ceramists to singers. Each Workshop has a very specific visual configuration: 250 square feet, closed in by the most intensely coloured walls, with a giant wardrobe centre stage.
J.W Anderson collaboration with Luis Venegas, 2016 (2016) by Jonathan William AndersonOriginal Source: J.W. Anderson
LUIS VENEGAS
The first of the Jonathan Anderson Workshops was a collaboration with the Spanish Editor and Publisher of the publications Fanzine137, EY! Magateen and Candy.
Luis Venegas, Editor and Publisher of notable Spanish publications Fanzine137, EY! Magateen and Candy directed and photographed a curation of imagery presenting archive to current J.W.Anderson collections in title 'The Rain In Spain Stays Mainly In The Plain'.
“I was given total creative freedom to work on the project, so I decided to try something new, not just my usual work as an Editor.” Luis Venegas
“Luis is a modern publisher. I wanted to give him the free rein to create something special with us.” Jonathan Anderson.
J.W. Anderson collaboration with Ian David Baker (2016) by Jonathan William AndersonOriginal Source: J.W. Anderson
IAN DAVID BAKER
J.W.Anderson collaborated with the English Photographer, Artist and Illustrator Ian David Baker as part of the J.W.Anderson Workshop series. Baker's imagery was used to create limited edition clothing and accessories.
Ian David Baker is a British image-maker whose work spans photography, illustration and painting. During the 1980s Baker photographed teenage youth culture and presented London street scenes which offer a personal insight into protests and parades at the time.
"I first saw Ian's work in a very small magazine booklet that I bought a long time ago, the fun sense of nostalgia drew me in." Jonathan Anderson
J.W. Anderson collaboration with Giles Round (2016) by Jonathan William AndersonOriginal Source: J.W. Anderson
GILES ROUND
Giles Round’s works spanning ceramics, sculpture, furniture, print, painting and textiles have gained him international recognition and have been showcased worldwide.
Ettore. Sorry! focuses on Round’s ongoing series of ceramics, each a misappropriation of Ettore Sottsass’ iconic Shiva vase. The phallic vases, remembered badly and rendered flaccid are both homage and apology to Sottsass and his iconic work. The latest in the series, created for J.W.Anderson Workshops, continues this production of tragic-comic pop objects into a suite of almost identical apologies.
“Giles has created these 12 ceramic phallic vases and we are incredibly proud to present them in our creative space. I wanted his works to be presented as an exhibition, a reference to craft – something of which is fundamental to our J.W.Anderson Workshops.” Jonathan Anderson
A$AP ROCKY
A$AP Rocky first displayed his interest in the brand when seen wearing emblematic J.W.Anderson on tour and in his music video “Jukebox Joints”.
He quickly and naturally became a brand ambassador and Rocky & Anderson came together to create a youthful collection of modern men’s casualwear – a result of common interest in each other’s creativity.
"It’s always exciting to collaborate with creatives who wear J.W.Anderson. Rocky is an influential modern artist who has a strong point of view on fashion." Jonathan Anderson
J.W. Anderson collaboation with Joanna Wason (2016) by Jonathan William AndersonOriginal Source: J.W. Anderson
JOANNA WASON
Jonathan Anderson first discovered Joanna Wason at an antiques auction and became mesmerised by her works. Anderson then went on to locate her in St Ives, Cornwall where she currently lives and works.
“I bought some of Joanna’s pottery at auction; found and asked her if we could do something together. Her creations are a perfect fit for the J.W.Anderson Workshops.” Jonathan Anderson
Wason whose work spans over 40 years has created a selection of ceramics exclusively for the J.W.Anderson Workshops.
The collection consists of 51 bottles, bowls, dishes and pots; in white porcelain white/pink porcelain; blue slipware, animal/fire glaze slipware, stoneware/porcelain with dark iron glaze and porcelain with iron glaze.
Within this collection she has repeated her previous ceramic styles but also created one exclusive to the J.W.Anderson Workshops which Wason refers to as “black galactic” – a style displaying fine colour splats on black gloss.
WORLD OF M/M
For London Fashion Week 2016 a new collaboration was launched for the J.W.Anderson Workshop. An exclusive series of accessories were created for the WORLD OF M/M, designed by M/M (PARIS), the creative agency established in 1992 by Mathias Augustyniak and Michael Amzalag long time collaborators of Jonathan Anderson.
M/M (PARIS) is an agency, founded in 1992, specialising in the conception, making and diffusion of signs, images, objects and spaces. Their prolific output across the fashion, art, music and design scenes over more than 20 years have made them one of the most influential creative practices of today.
TOSHIKI
The other important collaborator in the World of M/M are 'Toshiki', the Japanese textile company established by Toshiki Yagisawa in 2012 to produce high quality 'Made in Japan' goods, which feature practicality and innovation.
Two different designs of bags were created for The World of M/M and these were available in a range of different colours during London Fashion Week 2016.
LARRY CLARK
The smell of us - Trailer (2015) by Larry Clark and JW AndersonBritish Fashion Council
THE SMELL OF US
The underground film director Larry Clark has always been an important influence on Jonathan Anderson. J.W.Anderson was approached by Clark to design the wardrobe for the film 'The Smell of Us'. The result of this collaboration combined the iconic clothes of J.W.Anderson with the unique visual aesthetic of Larry Clark to create a series of powerfully arresting images.
JAMIE HAWKESWORTH
J.W. Anderson, The Thinleys (2014) by Jonathan William AndersonOriginal Source: J.W. Anderson
JAMIE HAWKESWORTH
Jamie Hawkesworth graduated from the University of Lancashire and began his career by creating nuanced and empathetic portrayals of the architecture and people of Northern England. He is now one of British fashions most sought after young photographers and has worked for everyone from Vogue US to i-D Magazine.
Jamie Hawkesworth has been a long standing collaborator with J.W.Anderson. Together with Jonathan Anderson he has created everything from advertising campaigns to fanzines. Hawkesworth's idiosyncratic but subtle images perfectly capture the beauty and eccentricity of J.W.Anderson's world.
J.W. Anderson Campaign, Autumn / Winter 2015 (2015) by Jonathan William AndersonOriginal Source: J.W. Anderson
AUTUMN / WINTER 2015 CAMPAIGN
Jamie Hawkesworth photographed the J.W.Anderson Autumn / Winter 2015 campaign. This was one of the most successful and iconic campaigns the brand has created to date.
J.W. Anderson Campaign, Autumn / Winter 2016 (2016) by Jonathan William AndersonOriginal Source: J.W. Anderson
AUTUMN / WINTER 2016 CAMPAIGN
In a sign of the growing success of J.W.Anderson the Autumn / Winter 2016 campaign was the first to include a recognisable celebrity, Bella Hadid. Again, the campaign was photographed by Jamie Hawkesworth in collaboration with Jonathan Anderson.
JW Anderson Spring / Summer 2016 Menswear Finale by Jonathan AndersonOriginal Source: British Fashion Council.
“For me, the creative process is this giant patchwork of information. Today’s creative director has become more of a consumer of information in search of the new, weird and wonderful. It can be online, libraries, markets, bookstores.”
Jonathan Anderson
This exhibit was created by the British Fashion Council in collaboration with J.W.Anderson and A.I. PR. Special thanks go to Jenny Law at A.I PR for her help in creating this online exhibit.
All rights belong to J.W.Anderon unless otherwise specifically stated. All models and photographers have been credited where known.
