It's been a good week for those of us who get overexcited about new high street and designer collaborations (everyone, raise your hand). A few days ago, it was announced that Erdem will be the latest luxury brand to design a collection for the Swedish retail giant, H&M, and we were teased with a short film directed by Baz Luhrmann, which gave us a glimpse of the sumptuous, floral-heavy collection. Put November 2nd in your diaries now, ladies and gents.
Today, Uniqlo has released the first images of its eagerly awaited collaboration with lauded Brit designer J.W.Anderson – and it's even better than we anticipated. Not only are the prices more affordable than expected – knitwear costs less than £40, blouses are under £35 and T-shirts are just £14.90 – but Jonathan Anderson has designed all the covetable staples our autumn wardrobe needs, offering an update of British heritage garments. From duffle coats to ruffled skirts, puffer jackets to graphic tees, this is an authentic taste of J.W.Anderson for a fraction of the cost, with the instantly recognisable initials and anchor logo featured throughout the varied collection.
"When Uniqlo first approached me, I was very, very excited because I wear Uniqlo all the time," Anderson explained to Refinery29 at a press preview. "J.W.Anderson has been going for 10 years and I’ve been really fascinated by this idea of democratising fashion or cultural activities within fashion, and I wanted something which was a new type of normality. We had both design teams focusing and focusing to come up with a twist on the classic. I wanted to open my eye to a different kind of design process. It was so exciting to boil things down to their essence."
Before the collection hits stores on 19th September, click ahead to compile your shopping list in advance and learn more about the design process from Jonathan Anderson.
Ultra Light Down Jacket, £89.
"In my own brand I’ve never been able to master the puffer jacket because they’re very complex to make. Uniqlo’s puffer jackets are so light and that’s through amazing technology. I’ve always wanted to do a puffer and Uniqlo had the technique to execute it. We did a plaid one, we did a navy one and a red one, both men’s and women’s. I remember seeing the first sample and being so excited about seeing my name inside a puffer jacket."
Fair Isle Crew Sweater, £39.90.
Trench Coat, £139.90.
"Each piece has to be able to stand on its own," Anderson told Refinery29. "It has to have its own stability. It’s quite a hard process but what’s amazing with the Uniqlo design team is they really helped to thrash out ideas. Fashion now is about 'more is more'. What’s so modern about Uniqlo is that it's about the detail; here is the essence of something but it’s going to fit right."
Oversized Turtle Neck Sweater, £39.90.
Denim Ruffle Wrap Skirt, £49.90.
"I only design the clothing, people make it come to life. The more you do this job you realise it’s about the power of people."
Graphic T-Shirt, £14.90.
Ruffle Shirt, £34.90.
"It’s been the most enjoyable process I’ve ever done because I love each piece. Both design teams worked incredibly hard so that each piece was perfect."
Quilted Skirt, £49.90.
Padded Backpack, £34.90.
Stripe Scarf, £24.90.
Padded Tote Bag, £24.90.
Cable Crew Neck Sweater, £34.90.
"There’s nothing more exciting than walking down the street and seeing someone wearing something that you’ve been involved in, no matter if it’s an earring or a bag or a T-shirt. When you see it in broad daylight, there’s something more fascinating than seeing it on anyone famous. It’s the most humbling experience."
Ruffle Wrap Skirt, £49.90.
Lambswool Graphic Crew Neck Sweater, £34.90.
"As much as [an item] has my name in it, ultimately someone else buys it and they own it and through wearing it, it becomes something completely different. That’s what’s so amazing with fashion – yes, we can propose what people wear but ultimately it’s people who actually bring it to life."
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