Jonathan Anderson shares the stories behind his Men’s S/S 2022 and Resort 2022 collections

How would you describe your aesthetic?

Jonathan Anderson: I think I’ve always seen and regarded myself as a cultural agitator. By reflex, I would reply that my aesthetic is subversive.

If you were to think about your career, how has your men’s wardrobe changed compared to your first collections?

Jonathan Anderson: I’m starting to feel that at this point I’m starting to go back. I feel like I’m living in a loop. I started to re-appreciate things that I liked even before, and that is something I thought I would never get to do. But if I think about it, returning to a path that has already been traced is something strange yet equally fascinating.

What is the biggest challenge with your JW Anderson brand?

Jonathan Anderson: When you have two brands in your hands, you always try to renew them every time. And this takes a lot of energy. I am always trying to find new obsessions for both realities to re-invent them from time to time, and not to let things stay the same or stuck forever.

Why the idea of including a squirrel in the lookbook along with the models?

Jonathan Anderson: This is something Juergen Teller and I thought of together. He has great skill in taking photos of animals, too. For example, there are some spectacular photos with Charlotte Rampling taken with a fox. I must admit it was quite difficult because the squirrel was running everywhere, but when you see the photo taken by Juergen, it is impressive.

Is there anything you would like to share or communicate?

Jonathan Anderson: We are at a time when we have to go through this pandemic period, which is not to be rushed. It’s okay not to have a show and just be creative with other media. We are at a time when we need to find and discover new solutions and take new paths.