Hello,
Jonathan
Interview with Jonathan Anderson
Photography by Piczo Text by Miyuki Sakamoto
In collaborations, where understanding one another is essential, partnership means being a good neighbour, being family. Meeting up with Jonathan Anderson, the mind behind UNIQLO and JW ANDERSON, for a stroll around the famous spots of his beloved Soho, we asked him all about design and daily life.
Jonathan chatting with Maison Bertaux’s owner, a familiar acquaintance. Coming by our table, she asked him, “How are you? Doing okay?” This is what neighbourhood is all about.
- Extra Fine Merino Crew Neck Long Sleeve Sweater
Wardour Street cuts through Soho north to south, while Brewer Street crosses east to west. Where they meet, you’ll find the JW ANDERSON flagship store. Jonathan’s latest collection fills the space, which spans the ground floor and the basement level.
JW Anderson : 2 Brewer Street, London W1F 0SA
Jonathan chatting with Maison Bertaux’s owner, a familiar acquaintance. Coming by our table, she asked him, “How are you? Doing okay?” This is what neighbourhood is all about.
Q1. What made you choose to open the JW ANDERSON flagship store in Soho?
I’ve always loved Soho. Ever since I moved to London to go to university. There is this great energy in Soho and incredible diversity. That’s what made Soho feel right for our first real store.
Q2. The theme for this issue of LifeWear magazine is “Neighbourhood Living.” What does the word “neighbourhood” call to mind for you? Is there something essential that makes for a “good neighbourhood”?
When I think of neighbourhoods, I think of friends and family and the idea of a personal ecosystem, where people can connect and help each other. What makes a good neighbourhood is dialogue. Exchanging with your neighbours, sharing how you see the world. Even if you start off with nothing in common.
Q3. About twenty years have passed since UNIQLO opened its first shop in London. Over time, how do you think UNIQLO’s presence in London has evolved?
People here in London go to UNIQLO to find amazing staples for their wardrobe. I think there is an ambiguity that people really like, since these clothes can fit into any scene. That’s why the number of fans keeps increasing. UNIQLO has really become part of the fashion landscape in London and throughout Britain as well.
Q4. 2021 Spring & Summer marks the eighth collection released by UNIQLO and JW ANDERSON since 2017. How has your perception of LifeWear changed over time?
What I think is great about LifeWear is that, ultimately, it is a blank canvas for everything. It evolves as we evolve. I think that evolution is a crucial part of the idea behind LifeWear.
“When I was first living in London, I spent a lot of time walking around Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road. In my view, it’s no exaggeration to say that Soho is London,” Jonathan says. The leafy expanse of Soho Square, in the heart of it all, gives people a place to take a breather.
Soho Square : London W1D 3QZ
Q5. Every season of UNIQLO and JW ANDERSON is highlighted by some classic British element. When thinking up your collections, where do you turn for inspiration?
I grew up in Northern Ireland and have lived in England for years, so Britishness is and always has been around me. I think it’s important to acknowledge this heritage and incorporate it into what I design, whether at JW ANDERSON or UNIQLO. JW ANDERSON is a British brand, so it feels right.
Maison Bertaux, just down the street from JW ANDERSON, has been open since 1871. The oldest patisserie in London, this Soho landmark is beloved by many.
Maison Bertaux : 28 Greek Street, London W1D 5DQ
“When I was first living in London, I spent a lot of time walking around Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road. In my view, it’s no exaggeration to say that Soho is London,” Jonathan says. The leafy expanse of Soho Square, in the heart of it all, gives people a place to take a breather.
Soho Square : London W1D 3QZ
Q6. For 2020 Fall & Winter and 2021 Spring & Summer, you were unable to reveal the collections to large crowds at fashion shows because of the pandemic. Your response was to send clients and the media these boxes full of print materials and samples, to be referenced while watching live presentations online. What made you choose this unique way of showing the collections?
I think necessity can breed creativity. With the lockdowns in Paris and London and the Covid crisis cancelling physical fashion shows, I wanted to find new ways to present the collections to the press and VIPs and customers, in a way that still felt tactile and personal. I knew I didn’t want to create only digital formats. It was important to me to offer tangible and physical representations of the shows. In terms of design, it’s important to me to find a balance between traditional methods and a modern feel. This means figuring out how to bring time-honoured techniques into the future, and finding ways to get the younger generation to pick up these styles and make them their own.
Q7. The world is going through incredible changes. How do you think fashion should respond in kind?
I think now, more than ever, we are looking at the global effect of fashion. Faced with the circumstances, people are looking for more meaning in fashion. What does a brand stand for?
Q8. Tell us about your personal rules for styling. What matters most to you in everyday clothes?
I spend so much of my days looking at and working with clothes that for me, my personal dress is just something simple and comfortable. The collections should stand out, not so much what I am wearing.
Maison Bertaux, just down the street from JW ANDERSON, has been open since 1871. The oldest patisserie in London, this Soho landmark is beloved by many.
Maison Bertaux : 28 Greek Street, London W1D 5DQ
Q9. As someone with a deep knowledge of art, what is your favourite museum or gallery in London?
My favourite museum will always be the V&A. I am very lucky to be on the board there. They have one of the most incredible collections in the world of decorative arts and historical arts. And it is a great place to visit on the weekends.
Q10. Once the pandemic is behind us, is there anything that you would like to do?
I have been thinking a lot lately about how fashion needs to become more long-lived. I want the collections I design to be more permanent. Not just here today and gone tomorrow.
Q11. Current travel restrictions aside, if you could go anywhere, where would it be?
I would love to go back to Kyoto.
Q12. Lastly, tell us about the collection planned for release this winter from UNIQLO and JW ANDERSON.
I want this next collection to be comforting and soothing. Given the times, I’m thinking it will have the atmosphere of a relaxing space at home, full of pillows, where you can curl up in a blanket.
Jonathan Anderson
Fashion Designer
Born in 1984 in Northern Ireland, UK. Founded JW ANDERSON in 2008. In 2013, he was named creative director of Spanish luxury fashion house LOEWE. Through the Loewe Foundation, he established the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize and serves on its jury every year. Since 2017 Spring & Summer, he has partnered with UNIQLO to produce UNIQLO and JW ANDERSON, lending his unique perspective on British style to a new kind of LifeWear.
