Big changes are underway at JW Anderson. The London-based label from the eponymous designer, has announced this week that it will be officially stepping away from the runway for the foreseeable future. Instead, it’s transforming into something new: a full-on lifestyle brand.
The news comes just after creative director Jonathan Anderson — the man behind the label — made fashion history. In June, he became the first designer since Monsieur Dior to lead men’s, women’s, and couture collections at Christian Dior. And while it's a massive gig, naturally, fashion fanatics (including ourselves) started wondering what that meant for JW Anderson, which hadn’t shown a collection since last September.
But now we have answers. The brand is getting a full makeover. No more seasonal collections. No fashion week deadlines. Instead, the focus is shifting to timeless wardrobe staples, jewellery, sunglasses, and beautifully crafted lifestyle objects — think artisanal teacups, handcrafted gold chains, and even vintage garden tools. The new branding and direction has already begun to drop on the label's Instagram, as below:
View this post on Instagram
Anderson himself also told WWD last week that it’s all about slowing things down and creating with intention. “If we make a sweater,” he said, “we’ll only do a new colour when we feel like it.” For him, the label has become more about building a world – one inspired by his own home and the things he’s obsessed with. That includes everything from Murano glass to replica Mackintosh stools to honey wrapped in fabric woven with 18th-century techniques.
The brand’s physical spaces are getting a revamp too. Stores in London and Milan are currently being redone and will reopen around September / October this year. New shops are also planned for Paris, New York, and different parts of London. (Here's hoping Australia might see one in the future too...)
And what about the runway shows? Well, they’re not totally off the table. Anderson says a runway return could happen — but only “when we feel like there needs to be a show.”
In his words, this reinvention has been a long time coming. “I wanted to re-articulate my own brand,” he said. “I was angsty when I started. But now, I’m asking: who am I today?”
Feature image via Instagram.
