J.W. Anderson AW14

Initial reaction:

Call-centre power dressing for the boys.

Femme Fatale:

Post-show J.W. Anderson declared gendered clothing a “dated concept”, yet femininity was undeniably at play here: stifled secretary mistress concepts came through in the skin tight blouses, leather ruffled tops, and cutesy one button pea coat jackets.

Unexpected details:

The shoes. Or, more to the point, the heels. High shine brogue, white mod and glittered, all with an impressive thick platform. Out of the monochrome and mundane beige nineties knits came a riot of camo-slash-floral print in orange, yellow and emerald green. Leather bucket bags and framed, prim handbags continued the mistress theme.

Power play:

The S&M hold on LC:M showed no sign of ending here: rolls of bondage tape piled high on wrists, echoing their intentions in loose, long scarves tied suggestively at the neck. Bandages wrapped shoulders and arms in an awkward stance. The super-oversized rib knits and cartoonish wide straps which made models appear childish and doll-like (add to that the nineties teenage boy hair curtains) created an underlying perverse tone.

Quote of the show:

“It’s not gender for me, it's just clothing. I feel that in a modern culture, if it’s about gender then it’s a very dated concept. In the realms of novelty newspapers. I wanted to achieve something awkward, less comfortable. A little bit…sweet, sugary, dirty. Like the people who work in call centres: they were homely fabrics, mundane. I don’t see it as being sexless. I see it as being fragile. I like that hidden reveal, the black shirt with the very comforting slash on the back. It’s the spine, something that has a chill to it.” J.W Anderson