Fashion’s “King of Weird,” JW Anderson, has just shown his Fall 2023 Menswear Collection using body paint, rain boots, bolts of fabric, and even pillows. Not many designers can handle the challenge of making all of these items seem cohesive, but somehow JW Anderson does just that.
Milan was absolutely graced by JW Anderson’s weirdness and genius this week. The overall concept of his collection just radiated themes of vulnerability. In his collection, he took us through the journey of getting dressed and how sometimes we have to be able to withstand the ridicule we receive for the personas we hide behind.
The show began with two models in nothing but underwear and boots carrying a bolt of fabric. It was as if the pieces were about to be made just for them. In his commentary about the show, JW Anderson talks about the idea of people being packaged. Every morning, we wake up and decide how to present our personas to society. The models have yet to be wrapped, dressed, or packaged in these looks. But the rolls were not the only absurd accessory that made it down the runway. Anderson teamed up with Wellipets to create frog rain boots and clutches as a continuation from the infamous pigeon clutch. Famously worn by the British Royal family, these boots only emphasized the whimsy in the collection while paying homage to their heritage. Following the recent release of the former Duke and Duchess’ Netflix documentary and Harry’s tell-all “Spare,” the boots felt like a perfect bow to tie all the chaos that has followed it. Body paint is also a feature in this show, with tomatoes painted all over the models’ skin, amplifying the look. The tomato was often seen as a symbol of poor quality, but for the collection, it’s a symbol of vulnerability and how we hide behind the personas we portray through layers of coats and belts.
The designer always makes a statement through his pieces. He puts thought into every single aspect of his collection, from concept to execution. For example, not only were all the models nonbinary but the concept of gender fluidity was carried through the fact that a frog’s gender is interchangeable depending on its environment, reflecting the designer’s unique eye for research and detail and what allows J.W. Anderson to leave his unique mark on the world of fashion.
Words by Olivia Lively.
Graphics by Evelyn Venezky.