JW Anderson is quitting runway shows The Northern Irish designer has suspended the fashion shows of his eponymous brand indefinitely

Eighteen. That’s the impressive number of collections that Jonathan Anderson was rumored to be designing within a single calendar year, according to recent speculation. An almost dizzying output that would have included Dior Homme, Womenswear, Haute Couture, along with the various lines of his namesake brand, JW Anderson, such as ready-to-wear, resort, and ongoing collaborations like the one with Uniqlo. At least, that’s what had been circulating until just a few weeks ago. And yet, right before the weekend came an unexpected announcement: JW Anderson is set to undergo a radical rebranding, stepping away from the seasonal race to transform into a lifestyle brand. The confirmation came on the morning of July 3 via the pages of WWD, which revealed the ambitious shift in full detail. The new JW Anderson identity will be less about seasonal drops and more about luxury essentials, with Anderson set to debut the new concept through a special presentation at Galerie Joseph during Paris Haute Couture Week, today, July 7 — adding yet another responsibility to his already packed portfolio. This morning, the brand’s first resort campaign images appeared on social media, starring Luca Guadagnino, Joe Alwyn, and Hailey Gates.

The in-depth interview published in WWD outlines a complete revolution for JW Anderson: seasonal collections will be scrapped along with regular runway shows, and the flagship stores in London and Milan will temporarily close for a comprehensive renovation, with reopenings scheduled for September. Meanwhile, the brand’s official website will also undergo a radical redesign, becoming more minimal and innovative. Anderson described this new approach as a return to craftsmanship and quality, a concept aligned with the philosophy he already championed during his creative direction at Dior. Fashion won’t disappear from the brand, but it will be offered on a slower, more deliberate timeline, diverging from the traditional fashion system. «If we make a sweater, we’ll only release a new color when it feels necessary,» Anderson told WWD. «Not everything needs to be an instant hit. It’s about enjoying a design, keeping it around, and savoring it slowly. It’s a slower and more reflective process, rediscovering the intrinsic value of things — the same way I view my home and my world.»

Among the most interesting developments, JW Anderson will also highlight lifestyle and handcrafted products from other selected brands, including Wedgwood, Hope Springs, and Lucie Gledhill Jewellery, indicating that the label is evolving into an exclusive platform combining a curated multi-brand offering with original JW Anderson creations. From a purely fashion perspective, we can expect a clear slow fashion approach, with new styles and colors introduced only when Anderson deems it right, regardless of the official fashion calendar. Indeed, runway shows at London Fashion Week will be paused indefinitely, although Anderson has left the door open for future returns: «We’ll do a show only when we feel we have something important to say. It might be in a year, two, or even three months. But only if there’s truly a reason to do it.»

On social media, the debate has resurfaced about designer-founded brands and what should become of them once the original creators step down from creative leadership. In this context, the now-famous quote by Lee McQueen («we should just burn it down») is being cited more frequently. In a landscape where creative directors are developing collections increasingly detached from the heritage of their maisons, often displaying a level of personal protagonism that ends up damaging both brand reputation and sales, the separation between designer and label is growing ever more distinct. Raf Simons was the first to officially shut down his own brand, even though he was likely at the peak of his commercial success. However, Jonathan Anderson’s recent decision suggests that closing shop isn’t the only solution — in fact, there are countless ways to carry forward one’s creative legacy. As Anderson himself stated in the interview, his priority was to bring new meaning to his brand, and it appears that his 40th birthday, celebrated last year, marked a moment of creative catharsis in which he decided to truly reflect on «who am I today».