LFW – JW Anderson S/S2020

One of the things that will become very apparent about Jonathan Anderson (the man behind the JW Anderson label) if you study his career for long enough is his extraordinary ability to create unique and compelling new silhouettes for his collections each season.  There’s a boldness in his approach to design that isn’t really replicated anywhere else in the industry.  That distinctive talent was again on full display for his S/S2020 collection at London fashion Week.

Ensembles that defy easy description but constantly spark the imagination is usually a good indicator that you’re looking at something special.  The first thing to remark on is the fluidity that was on display – both in terms of the individual pieces and also in terms of the overarching story of the entire collection.  Nothing was standard.  Floor length maxi dresses with unfinished edges were ‘Anderson-ised’ with solitary cut-outs on one hip that were framed with intricate jewelled beading at one end of the simplicity scale.  At the other end was the black and gold lamé tuxedo suit with multiple belt straps and extra-long voluminous trousers that gathered at the ankles under the straps of the espadrille sandals that were worn instead of the customary dress shoes.

Light multi-layered dress/trouser combinations with few discernible straight edges meant a few seconds trying to work out if it was one piece you were looking at or a combination of many cleverly constructed to hold your attention.  Everywhere you looked there were little design flourishes that made you want to keep re-examining each piece.  Even when it was simple – like the gorgeous long black dress with the sleeves that flared out to almost Elizabethan proportions – you had to keep checking to make sure you hadn’t missed anything you were too mesmerised to catch the first time around.

It’s the truly architectural creations that leave you in wonder though.  One-sleeved dresses with asymmetrical hems, sleeveless trench coats incorporating capes that fasten at the wrists, long-sleeved, polo-neck dresses that gradually flare into an unstructured A-line shape – there was too much to marvel at in just one sitting.  Even the accessories – like the infinity symbol that adorned many of the outfits or the single coiled loop of rhinestones that floated on the hem of some of the trench coats – made you pause to ponder on the scale of the innovative creative decisions.  If ever there was a collection to be studied as well as admired this was it.  And, in this case, a picture really is worth a thousand words.

For more on JW Anderson click here.

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