February 27, 2021 |
Jonathan Anderson approaches his collections like a curator would an exhibition. His bulbous, obscure takes on everyday dress are informed by ceramics, paintings and sculptures, often created by artists from his inner circle. His latest JW Anderson womenswear collection came in the form of B1-sized, pull out posters by Juergen Teller – in a similar fashion to his AW21 men’s showcase – where artists Dame Magdalene Odundo and Shawanda Corbett model a collection they not only inspired, but contributed to, also.
Anderson first met Odundo whilst curating his acclaimed exhibition, Disobedient Bodies, at Hepworth Wakefield in 2017, and have since become dear friends. His introduction to Corbett came much more recently, with Anderson able to catch an exhibition by the American-born artist at the Corvi-Mora gallery last June, when restrictions here in the UK were eased.
The esteemed talents worked with Anderson on six intricate blankets, which will be sold in super limited quantities. Alongside these totem pieces, comes cocoon-shaped jumpers in lavender, cream and toxic green, as well as cape dresses that fold out like origami and bags in the shape of giant pompoms. There’s also the brand’s cult chain loafers, which have now been supersized and doused in gold glitter. “In these strange and uncertain times, I feel quite humbled to work in a creative industry,” writes Anderson in his show notes. The pandemic has leant him time to bring JW Anderson to its most fully-fledged form: where art and fashion live as one in a fluid, unadulterated harmony.
Photogaphy by Juergen Teller.
