J.W. Anderson between celebration and self-celebration From homage to Michael Clark to archive garments
That a season of minimalism is upon us for J.W. Anderson was already evident at Loewe's FW23, where sleek silhouettes and tailored garments invaded an aseptic white space in Paris. For the personal line, the Irish designer did not forgo ironic elements - from the outfit printed entirely with the Tesco logo to the tongue-in-cheek graphics (penises and Dadaist writings) - but everything went in the direction of reduction, towards a more subtle and less spectacular goliardie that never distracted the eye from the garments and their skilful construction. For the FW23 women's collection, the celebratory intent was more than evident, from the homage to Michael Clark to a brief journey through the archive, because, as J.W. himself said in an interview with Vogue Runway, «it's fun to look back before you look forward».
The result is a wearable but, above all, covetable collection in which voluminous and experimental shapes, feathers and burnt hems alternate with more classic garments, including structured coats and bootcut trousers. Garments from the archive seen on the runway included the faux chenille vest with kangaroo pockets, originally from the autumn 2013 menswear collection, and the 'classic' JWA T-shirt with sailor stripes and anchor logo, reinterpreted by printing the name Michael Clark in neon green letters. In a time when fashion is lost in Instagram moments, the ability to design great garments while capturing the attention of the mainstream audience without compromising on content is key to Anderson's talent, making him one of the most important designers of our time.
