The collaboration of JW Anderson with is all about color and quirk

In 2010, Jonathan Anderson, the designer, was criticized for his disregard for gender norms, mixing masculine and feminine styles. Twelve years later, it is clear that Anderson has a knack for bending any kind of sartorial rule. His work for JW Anderson as well as Loewe mixes casual and formal, young and old, elegance and summer. Moncler’s ability to seamlessly combine seemingly disparate elements is what makes Anderson’s ongoing collaboration so fascinating. Anderson looked at his love for Britain’s pebbled coast and Moncler’s French Alpine heritage to find common ground for the new iteration. Anderson was inspired to pursue rock climbing and the often colourful costuming that goes with it.

The collection is now available online and in select Moncler boutiques. It is also available in the JW Anderson boutique in London. You can find puffer coats made to look like green jeans, ski vests that look like bright orange life jackets, as well as mini-skirts which, while they look like they are made of tweed at first, are actually made from the same material that a winter coat. Accessories like padded, large, bulky totes, Chelsea boots with boucle embellishment, and slides with braided puff tubes are all part of the fun. Anderson spoke with W about his childhood memories, the thrill of ripping things apart, and the joy that comes from rediscovering your own clothes.

• This is your third collaboration for Moncler. What was your inspiration?

I was intrigued by youth culture. The idea that rock climbing and other sports require brightly colored clothing is something that fascinates me. This can be seen in many different periods of history. I wanted something positive, like being outside in the great outdoors.

• Are you an experienced rock climber?

As a child, I remember going on school trips to Ardeche in the south of France. We would go on two-week trips with my parents, where we did everything from rock climbing to abseiling and canoeing.

• Which other sources did you use to compile this collection?

We were able to see a wide variety of early utility wear in terms of its shapes and volumes. There were many different kinds of 1940s knitwear. It was a nice idea to look at the era through the ’80s lens, or early ’90s perspective. Then things become a lot more about going out and culture.

• These binaries are often gender- or age-related. You are well-known for flattening them. You were interested in removing the dichotomy of summer and winter clothes, right?

The universal wardrobe is something I am becoming more interested in. As much as I have been thinking about gender and other issues for many years, I am now seeing that clothing can be trans-seasonal. You are either buying clothes to last or you are buying things for inspiration.

• Does that idea relate to sustainability?

Yeah. I don’t understand the idea that you only wear something once if you purchase it. I believe that if you purchase something, you can wear it again, get bored with it, and then return to it. Sometimes decorating a room can make you bored. Then you decide to redecorate the space. But you always come back to it. It’s all about creating things that last and that you can use. It’s not about making a product, it’s about creating something that inspires me.

This collection also has a lot of youthful inspiration. It is childlike in a good way. This is something you’ve been thinking about lately. Mixing even the most age-appropriate things is a fascinating idea.

This idea of something toy-like appeals to me. I have always been obsessed with blowing things up. It’s a great feeling. It doesn’t matter how old you are. The idea of youth, the idea that things are toy-like, and novelty somehow excites.

• How do you ensure that every collection is unique?

It’s all about pushing the boundaries on certain topics or putting wrongs alongside rights. It’s about finding the right balance between what you wear and what ground you haven’t covered. This is what makes a good product.