JW Anderson has a reputation for the unexpected, which is of course, what makes him a fantastic designer. On Sunday he launched his Autumn/Winter 2016 line, and it was available to watch not via YouTube, or even Snapchat or Periscope, but on gay dating app Grindr. Yes, I did say Grindr.
Grindr has over seven million users, with a reported one million logged on at any given time and is used to see which other men are using the app in your area, what they look like and what they want. Essentially, a Tinder for the gay man. The livestream was offered via the link that appeared upon opening the app, that then led you to a video feed form the show venue in London. J.W explained his collaboration to Marie Claire, saying ‘Grindr is a widely used social platform that really reflects youth culture right now. At J.W. Anderson, we always look for ways to push boundaries when it comes to gender and our aesthetic. And of course the global reach of Grindr is undeniable. This is why for us; it makes sense for Grindr to be the first outlet to livestream a J.W. Anderson men’s show’. What a show it was.
The show included his trademark gender-fluid style such as chokers for men, satin pyjamas and a cropped floral bed jacket, proving that he is still a pioneer in androgynous trends. Models wore knee-length fur gilets, leather tracksuit trousers and leather versions of 5p plastic bags (it was bound to happen at some point let’s be honest). Of course, there were more wearable items in the collection such as slouchy cardigans and a gorgeous camel coat. When talking about his foray into digital communication to broadcast his show, he told The Guardian “We’re reaching seven million people at one time…fashion is at the speed it should be; media drives that so we have to keep pace”.
Landis Smithers, Grindr’s vice president of marketing said “You know as well as I do, there are the fashion gays…they love them a show and an exclusive”. Quite. The show was incredibly popular with rapper ASAP Rocky congratulating J.W. Anderson; “I heard about that last minute…gay people supporting gays. That’s what it’s all about: support. I support everybody”. According to Grindr, the show had been streamed about 100,000 times, about a third of them during the event. J.W. Anderson proved once again that he is a pioneer of men’s fashion, and for that, we salute him.
Holly Martin
feature image: IK ALDAMA/DEMOTIX/CORBIS
