British traditional and Japanese tech blend for Uniqlo x JW Anderson

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Jul 18, 2017

Uniqlo has unveiled the JW Anderson collection that it announced this spring. The company said the pieces will debut in-store and online on September 19 in the UK, followed by other markets around the world. Availability of the 33-piece range will vary by country and store.

The London-based JW Anderson brand has created a men’s and women’s collection that the companies said combines its “signature bold and graphic design aesthetic” with Uniqlo’s “excellence in fabrics, fit and functionality.”

The result is intended to be a collection offering “the best of British styling that is at once traditional and modern while providing daily lifestyle options for men and women of all ages.”

In practice that means the use of traditional British materials combined with Uniqlo trademark fabrics. There are tweed coats in signature herringbone and shirts in extra fine cotton, as well as knits in extra fine Merino wool.

There’s a double-breasted belted trench coat accented by a tartan lining (shirts and padded tote bags also use the tartan check), a wool blended quilted jacket with a faux leather patch and the JW Anderson anchor logo, a Fair Isle sweater, and striped Heattech scarf.

A selection of Heattech down jackets with ribbed cuffs feature zipper tape “so people can keep gloves on as much as possible in winter”. And the new collaboration includes multi-border cut-and-sewn pieces, knits, and stoles in strong colourways, as well as ruffle blouses and skirts.

The silhouette is kept simple as can be seen in long coats with contemporary button and waist belt styling, or jackets cut slim but also to allow for layering. A turtle neck sweater has a boxy silhouette while a knit dress comes as an oversized piece.

Anderson said he got involved in the collaboration because he believes in “democracy in fashion, and what I hope will be achieved is that any age demographic can pick up and find something within the collection to relate to. It means you come up with a wardrobe which is universal and quirky.”

He added that what the two brands have in common is the idea of “making a new product. The idea of reducing something to its essence is a very Japanese cultural thing. It can be culturally, textile, or silhouette driven, but it's about the idea of reducing something down so that you can create the most impact.”

Yuki Katsuta, senior VP of Fast Retailing and Head of Research and Design at Uniqlo, added: "The inspiration for much of the clothing we wear today was the uniforms, workwear, and sportswear that originated in the British Isles. We have combined the energy, creativity, and traditional touches of JW Anderson with our fit, fabrics, and functionality, as part of our quest to craft wardrobe essentials that are enduringly appealing."