New book showcases J.W. Anderson’s work, archive to present

Since launching his eponymous menswear collection in 2008, J.W. Anderson has risen to become one of the industry’s most feted designers. Known for his innovation, Anderson currently resides at the helm of his own label and of Spanish luxury goods company Loewe. Now, in the wake of his AW16 menswear show, Anderson has released a book – entitled “The Rain In Spain Stays Mainly In The Plain” – which presents his collections, from archive pieces to present ones.

The book was created by acclaimed publisher Luis Venegas, who is behind publications including Fanzine137, EY! Magateen and CANDY. “I was given total creative freedom to work on the project, so I decided to try something new, not just my usual work as an editor,” says Venegas. “Jonathan is one of the most exciting creative minds working in fashion today,” he continues, “It’s undeniable that every time he creates something new there’s a devoted audience. His audience is always excited to see what he’s doing...”

For this project, Venegas requested his favourite pieces from the designer’s archive and shot them in his native Madrid. “And that’s what my book is about,” he told Business of Fashion earlier this week, “No more, no less.” “Luis is a modern publisher,” says Anderson, speaking on the collaboration. “I wanted to give him the free rein to create something special with us.”

However, this isn’t the first book featuring J.W. Anderson collections. Last year, the designer collaborated with Kids director Larry Clark on a zine entitled The Smell of Us, which featured the cast of his latest film (of the same title) wearing his Pre-AW menswear collection.

“The Rain In Spain Stays Mainly In The Plain” will be launching on Thursday January 28 at the newly opened J.W. Anderson Workshops in Shoreditch, with a book signing by Luis Venegas. 599 copies will be available between then and Thursday February 4. It will also be available online – pre-order a copy here.