A New Kind of Menswear for a New Kind of Man: constructs of masculinity at JW Anderson and Loewe, 2008-2017

Abstract

• Once radically dividing critics with his lace shirts and knee-high boots for men. J W Anderson's conscious cross-pollination of menswearm and womenswear elements has earned his eponymous label a cult following, precipitating a dizzying ascent. In 2013, LVMH investment in his label coincided with his appointment as Creative Director of the Madrid luxury house, Loewe, where his ingenious interweaving of the masculine and feminine has brought modernity and vigour to the heritage brand. With feminised menswear now a pervasive trend at fashion weeks, Anderson's oeuvre reflects how gender ambiguity is a broader cultural issue. The article explores Anderson's agenda-setting designs as a catalyst for provocative experimentation in menswear, and how his singular vision is redefining notions of masculinity on the catwalk.