Making its debut at Milan Fashion Week, JW Anderson delivers a reflection on our perception of the objectivity of what is wearable and what is not. It’s an entertaining collection, deconstructing clothing and hijacking some of our everyday objects to create playful ensembles.
T-shirts and jumpsuits are ripped with barcodes that stand out; a skateboard board or BMX handlebars are incorporated into sweaters; a leather glove is sewn onto a sleeveless knit sweater; or CD wafers are glued onto fleece sweaters. A way to remind us of the intrinsic ephemeral character of modernity, and its ineluctable descent into anachronism.
And, to further emphasize the illusion of modernity, Jonathan Anderson has reproduced Rembrandt with the haggard eyes, also known as ”Self-portrait with the wide eyes” or ”Rembrandt with the open mouth cap”, a selfie of Rembrandt in etching and burin dated 1630, thus nearly 400 years old, in intarsia on knitwear and in print on sneakers. Through this “selfie“, Jonathan Anderson wanted to emphasize that even though technology upgrades, the way in which we use it stays pretty constant.
“Fashion is a very modern device. But it’s not a modern act”, he said. Before adding that “[it’s] a collection that asks to be looked at in perspective: from the peak of the selfie stick“.
©JW Anderson
