Fashion house JW Anderson, under the visionary leadership of Jonathan Anderson, presented its avant-garde reinterpretation of menswear with the Spring Summer 2025 collection. Renowned for his unconventional approach to fashion, Anderson elevated his boundary-pushing style this season, drawing attendees into a surreal narrative that redefined traditional menswear. The fashion show, held on June 16th, 2024, during Milan Fashion Week, left a lasting impression on the audience.
SPRING SUMMER 2025 COLLECTIONS
The collection was as much a psychological journey as it was a fashion presentation. The clothes themselves played with perceptions of scale and reality, featuring oversized elements that distorted conventional menswear proportions. This was most evident in pieces where a simple loafer morphed into the size of a carry bag, and outerwear boasted flaps and volumes that bent and twisted in unexpected manners.
Central to the collection was a profound manipulation of fabric and silhouette. Anderson’s use of knitwear was particularly notable. Sweaters and cardigans appeared as if knitted by a giant hand, with exaggerated stitches and swollen contours that enveloped the models in cozy yet bizarre cocoons. These pieces seemed to inhabit a space between functional clothing and artistic statement, bridging the gap with a blend of comfort and surrealism.
The partnership with GUINNESS is an exploration of the essence of both entities. The collaboration was showcased through specific looks that integrated the iconic stout’s visual and textual elements into high-fashion contexts. Some pieces took the creamy froth of Guinness and transformed it into pearl embroidery atop heavy cotton sweatshirts. The familiar image of a smiling pint was rendered in screen prints, grounded by luxurious, tactile embellishments that played up the contrast between everyday casual forms and high-end execution.
Another look features a hand-knit intarsia sweater in cashmere blend. The piece was knitted in London, symbolizing a handcrafted tribute to artisanal skill. Jonathan Anderson’s name appeared alongside Arthur Guinness’ in an embroidered homage on the garment, celebrating the craftsmanship that both the fashion designer and the brewer hold dear.
This collection by JW Anderson made a bold statement about the fluidity of menswear and its potential for narrative depth. It challenged attendees to reconsider what menswear can represent – beyond utility and tradition – to embrace a more expansive, imaginative view of how men can express themselves through fashion.
As JW Anderson and GUINNESS prepare to launch their capsule collection in November 2024, the fashion world eagerly anticipates the arrival of pieces that promise to be as much a topic of conversation as they are of attire.
