September 29, 2020 |
Covid brings out the best in some creatives. JW Anderson first debuted his show-in-a-box concept in July, deep into lockdown. A clever way to give some of his remote audience something physical to experience, it worked a treat. Second time around the concept has evolved from a box to a book, which could be deconstructed into swatch-like pages. His collection was displayed on cut-out figures, which formed a mini catwalk army. It’s meant to be interactive, you’re meant to play with it.
For Anderson, these unusual times allow us to experiment with new ways to communicate creativity. The thread of Oscar Wilde ran through the collection, with Anderson drawn to his radicalism and his mastery of the pithy one-liner: “The secret of life is in art” said the playwright.
Puffball volumes, cape-like drapes and dramatic proportions: Anderson’s ideas for pandemic dressing isn’t about basics but has a theatrical flourish. 2020, he said, “has been an incredibly challenging year but it has been incredibly rewarding.” He’s embracing change and challenge and says, “creativity will always win, no matter what.” That’s the spirit.
Photography by Bernhard Deckert.
