INTRODUCTION
JW Anderson Spring/Summer 2023 Menswear is an elucidating view into Jonathan Anderson’s design virtues and personal identity. In his Milan live debut, Anderson delivers an ostensibly careless collection; critics quickly dismissed the repurposed bike handles, knitted Rembrandt sweaters, and barcode-printed pants as superfluous attempts at social commentary. However, I see more (likely unintended) meaning. With his references to Rembrandt, Anderson likens himself to the Dutch master—conspicuous, driven to produce l'art pour l'art, while maintaining commericialty.
CONTEXT
In his show notes, Anderson cited two explicit references: The 90s British drama The Pitchfork Disney and the Dutch Golden Age painter Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. Additionally, two implicit references stood out: surrealism and consumer culture. In total, four visual motifs. According to Jonathan, these four convey the apparent illusion of modernity. The Rembrandt etching—an earlier self-portrait—appeared in the preshow materials; on a poster under the words “Have You Seen this Man?” and on the show invitation as a 1:1 rendition. The show marked a return to normalcy after COVID-19—a period that exposed JWA to the mainstream through the viral colour-block patchwork cardigan. Notably, JWA SS23 came three days after his JWA x Moncler collaboration and preceded his show at Loewe by six days. With many adjacent ventures occupying Anderson’s time, critics figured SS23 was a hasty body of work. To them, Anderson’s inspirations came across as uninventive and unchallenging. He had auditioned for The Pitchfork Dinsey in the past—not a new idea—and Loewe’s AW22 collection, with everyday objects embellishing numerous looks, was not a far cry from this season’s handlebar-laden sweaters. However, SS23 was situated crucially, with the potential to expose a young audience to JW personally, as namesake labels tended to do. Jonathan wouldn’t waste such potential on a meretricious collection; there must be more to it. This begs the question: what is the underlying narrative?
DESCRIPTION
The models walk to delicate bird chirps undergirded by nimble flutes and melodic guitars, in diametric contrast to the industrial warehouse in which the show takes place. During this initial sequence, Anderson pairs surrealist sculpture with familiar wardrobe staples. However, after five minutes, the music is interrupted by piercing electronic riffs, which prompt the first Rembrandt looks. We see two discrete motifs. Some looks are explanatory—they act as an introduction or de facto tribute to Jonathan’s past work. Others are introspective—they depict Anderson’s view of himself.
First, the explanatory looks. Look 22’s tri-tone knit and leather shorts reintroduce varied textile usage to the JWA stage—a departure from last season’s homogenous material selection. We see similarities to Anderson’s work at Fashion East, where unconventional fabric combinations littered the runway. Additionally, the t-shirt of the boy eating an apple on Look 44 resembles the eye scratch photograph t-shirt from AW10, Anderson’s first catwalk collection at London Fashion Week. Relying on past aesthetics is atypical and, therefore conclusively intentional. Anderson is catering to his new, young audience by emulating his early work, saying “This is how I gained notoriety”. Next, Anderson moves to the present. He adorns his models with wildly popular, recognizable items—bumper shoes and metallic clogs—saying, “This is how you know me”. As such, we are given a cursory but exhaustive overview of Anderson’s career. Why is this important? The introduction acts as a point of reference; the audience will compare Anderson’s public perception to his personal. Jonathan focuses on his most critically acclaimed shows and commercially successful pieces, effectively positing: the public sees him as a designer who can consistently draw attention and successfully move SKUs.
Second, the introspective looks. Pieces with Rembrandt’s self-portrait are reflective; Anderson is comparing himself to the Dutch painter. Jonathan’s intention is made clear with the pre-show signage, where he claims viewers “will see” Rembrandt. Namesake labels have long been vehicles to understand a designer’s personality. Granted, there are exceptions—like Martin Margiela or Peter Do, more recently—but Jonathan Anderson is not one of them. He has long been transparent about his personal motivations, design approach, and decision process. We have no reason to assume that the Rembrandt viewers “saw” was not Anderson himself. How are the two similar? Rembrandt, unlike his contemporaries, was not only a strong artist but a prolific businessman. He understood the power of notoriety and the necessity of output. Rembrandt crafted a larger-than-life personality, signing his work with his first name to match High Rennaissance Italian artists (Raphael, Michelangelo). He commanded a large workshop to increase his production capacity, producing various media: portraits—the most lucrative—and etchings—the most accessible. Jonathan Anderson has similarly been heralded for his volume of work, from his affordable Uniqlo collaborations to his innovation at Loewe.
SIGNIFICANCE
JW Anderson is a modern Rembrandt. Why does this matter? In JWA SS23, Jonathan uses his likeness to contest criticisms of commericality. The barcode prints allude to consumerism. Especially in the wake of COVID-19, which engendered precipitous declines in consumer discretionary spending, customers are more critical of Anderson’s high output, questioning each collection’s value proposition. However, why didn’t Rembrandt face similar criticisms? After all, Rembrandt indiscriminately impelled production, usually with limited artistic autonomy, as much of his work was commissioned. Anderson admittedly prioritizes revenue to support his many dependents. With this collection, Anderson suggests being artistic and lucrative should not be mutually exclusive. Furthermore, Jonathan uses Rembrandt to question the status quo. Current fashion designers are regarded as more artisanal, while painters are considered more artistic. Rembrandt’s contemporary agnates were carpenters, yet today, the two are viewed distinctly. By introducing wildly unwearable looks, Jonathan simultaneously identifies and subverts the notion of the artisanal clothing designer. Why is Look 5’s sweater dismissed as un-wear-able for having an embedded skateboard when Rembrandt’s 1630 self-portrait was never dismissed as un-hang-able for being tiny? Aren’t Jonathan and Rembrandt’s intentions equally artistic? JWA SS23 is a crucial contribution to the Jonathan Anderson multiverse, even for those unfamiliar with his work. He is artistic by nature, profitable by necessity, and notorious by choice.
