This fall, Jonathan Anderson will debut his first collaboration with Uniqlo. I know what you’re thinking: What could London’s agenda-setting experimentalist and Japan’s massive mainstream retailer have in common? More than you’d think. Despite Anderson’s ever-evolving stance on runway fashion—in the past three seasons he’s done chain mail and feathers, boys in granny crochet, and a fur hoodie worn with a micro miniskirt—his personal wardrobe is surprisingly simple: Uniqlo cashmere sweaters, Levi’s jeans, and Converse or Nike sneakers. Back in 2015, Vogue Runway interviewed the designer about his go-to ensemble. “I think it’s just something that I’m comfortable in, and, you know, as I get older it will probably change,” said Anderson.
Two years later and just the opposite has happened. Instead of veering into the wildly avant-garde, both Anderson and his brand have taken a turn for the practical. His Spring 2017 men’s show, held in Florence’s Villa La Pietra gardens, was the first signal of a shift. That collection, of wearable khaki trousers, heart-print graphics, and “jeans based on ones I’ve had for years,” heralded the bold-yet-wearable pieces that make up Anderson’s Uniqlo range, debuting exclusively on Vogue.
“Uniqlo is something I wear daily, so it was personal to me and I became very excited,” Anderson told Vogue. “For me, the point of doing this collaboration was that I believe in democracy in fashion, and what I hope will be achieved is that any age demographic can pick up and find something within the collection to relate to. Doing something with Uniqlo is very interesting. It’s a different exercise than with JW Anderson, because we have a wholesale network whereas Uniqlo is a retail network. It means you come up with a wardrobe which is universal and quirky.”
Much of this collection’s quirk is derived from its undertones of British heritage. Fair Isle and cable knits make up a sizable chunk, as do highland tartans and Savile Row stripes. There are practical duffle and trenchcoats for both men and women and even some of the quilted pieces that Anderson once riffed on for Fall 2012, although here they read more like Barbour jackets and less like mussed-up housewife essentials. Those paying close attention will note the abundance of rugby stripes in the Uniqlo collaboration, too—not a surprise when you consider both Anderson’s father and brother were professional players.
The 33-piece range will arrive on Uniqlo’s e-commerce site on the evening of September 21 and a selection of international stores the following day, selling between $30 and $150. Our advice? Shop the shirting and sweaters first, as those are the likeliest to sell out.