JW Anderson Fall/Winter 2020 Men’s. Paris, France
Editor's Notes
Jonathan Anderson is one of British fashion's crown jewels, but it's Paris where he shines. At Lafayette Anticipations — traditionally home to contemporary art exhibitions — in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, Anderson showed a stripped-back collection (for him, at least) which focussed on refined coats and styling without losing his signature quirk.
Among showgoers sat life-sized mannequins dressed in the collection. Each wore a mask of the late French poet Arthur Rimbaud, a reproduction from a series of photos by David Wojnarowicz titled Arthur Rimbaud in New York.
Jonathan on JW Anderson FW20 Men’s“[The collection] was about consecutive looks. Using different fabrics and figuring out how we could tweak things. It was about reinforcing codes that we could build in women's and bring to men's,” says Anderson of his namesake label after his show. “Thinking of triptychs and double looks. I like this idea of classicism. For me it’s a very JW look, blowing up things, triangular cutting that we’ve done in women’s. It’s about not being scared of your own brand’s DNA.”
Industry Opinion
“It looks like the JW boy grew up this season.” - Blake Abbie, actor and editor.
“I think JW has shifted to a more refined sartorial form this season, but still with his signature bold metal details as a punch. I was excited to see the continuation of the cap bag in the nano version. The smaller the bag the better.” - Declan Chan, stylist.
Highsnobiety's Shopping List
David Wojnarowicz Burning House Knit
Like the mannequins in the show, models sported black, white, and red intarsia jumpers and bags featuring an image of another David Wojnarowicz work, Untitled (Burning House), which went on sale immediately after the show to support Visual AIDS, an arts organization devoted to raising awareness and support for HIV+ artists.
“I was inspired by the artist, especially in the middle of his career when his images were very controversial at the time,” says Anderson. “I was thinking of what that would mean today in terms of nipping and reducing things. You have to keep reducing to go forward.”
Chain Mules
The brand’s popular loafer mules appeared again in leather featuring oversized golden chain links. They also came in charcoal felt. An ideal cop for the person who values comfort but still wants to flex.
Paisley Duvet Coat
Paisley print became a house signature early in the brand’s lifecycle and is something Anderson has become a master at, creating identifiable hardware, prints, and textures that can only be associated with him. It's something, however, he hasn’t touched for a long time. “Sometimes you’re petrified to use something if you’ve done it before; you can become a bit bored of it,” he explains. His reintroduction of the print on a duvet puffer coat, however, stood out in the collection.
Nano Cap Trio Bag
Another old friend. The cap bag returned in a new mini size and assorted colors. The designer has never shied away from humor when discussing serious topics.
Camel Scarf Overcoat
Among the 35 look collection, much of the collection included coats in double-faced wool featuring heavy gold chains, again, a carryover from past collections. Oversized, exploded coats, and scarves arrived in wadded twill and triangular and handkerchief cuts. This camel version is unexpectedly wearable. “I wanted to think about solutions in menswear,” Anderson says. “A coat that looks like a roll of fabric but that looks timeless at the same time. Instead of having 15 coats, just have one coat in multiple variations and develop it.”
