Editorial

JW Anderson Transforms British Heritage For AW19

Attuned to the classical sensibility of British heritage design, JW Anderson subtly subverts expectation with a collection of expressive garments for a highly modern take on tradition.

Tackling British heritage head on, Northern Irish designer JW Anderson continues to expound on his distinctive take on traditional tailoring and sartorial practices to showcase a unique vision of classic menswear for a modern age. While the runway show was inspired by the ongoing turbulence of politics in Britain, showing an eclectic blend of styles, Anderson's trademark aesthetic maintains a certain degree of clean-cut fastidiousness.

Arranged in a plethora of natural tones, the AW19 collection from Anderson's eponymous label captivates with its subtle updates to time-honoured styles. While modern in atmosphere, Anderson's fascination with the past manifests itself in the form of embroidered and printed archways, plucked from the decorative stone mouldings seen in churches and cathedrals throughout the United Kingdom. Fusing religious iconography with a twist of Gothic architectural influence, the designer proliferates his unique and highly localised visual code that at once nods to history while simultaneously delivering a fresh outlook in a world of fashion defined by brash logo-mania.

An amalgam of styles from British heritage, Anderson's latest collection is peppered with traditional sportswear garments. Enlivened with a workwear twist, the form of a striped rugby shirt and a vertically striped flannel shirt are altered with playful coloured stripes, applied to elegantly modernise these low-key pieces. An oversized wool overcoat adds a certain je ne c'est quoi to proceedings, with a hem that sits just above the knee - perfect for layering up with one of Anderson's unique hooded sweatshirts. Emulating the medieval-style headwear seen in his runway show, these oversized hoods with gold-toned fastenings complete the look, bridging the gap between the past, the present and the future of British garment design.

A celebration of British garment heritage, JW Anderson continues to fly the flag for refined and subtly subversive design. The JW Anderson AW19 collection is available online at END. now.

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