Frogs and Bunnies Take Over JW Anderson's FW23 Menswear, Pre-Fall 2023 Womenswear Runway

Jonathan Anderson headed to Milan Fashion Week Men's to showcase his Fall/Winter 2023 menswear and Pre-Fall 2023 womenswear collection for his eponymous label, JW Anderson. The designer, who will be showcasing in the Italian fashion capital for his forthcoming menswear collections, brought surrealism to the catwalk with references to his past, including his collection back in 2013.

Weeks before the show, the designer wiped the Instagram account for the label, uploading images of a tub of Vaseline, as well as playful frog-shaped slides that later made their debut on stage. The collection opened with male models wearing nothing but briefs with colored ankle boots, while holding scrolls of fabric. The following looks then featured loose-fitted dresses paired with pillows, as another model strutted down in a T-shirt with a cozy pillow attached to the front. The look was paired with surrealist tomatoes drawn all over the model's body.

Looking back to his runway collection from 2013, Anderson added frilled shorts to the mix, which were updated with leather, as the lineup continued with male bodies printed onto tees. He expanded on the playful theme with knit briefs featuring bunny and rat motifs, while bucket belt details took over strapless dresses as well as leather coats.

Taking the spotlight, as teased prior to the show, was the frog-shaped slides, which are created in collaboration with Wellipets. Accessories also included surrealist frog-shaped clutches, much like the designer's viral Pigeon Clutch Bag. Shearling trims were applied on briefs and tank tops, accompanying mismatched ankle boots in contrasting colors. The collection was rounded out with leather and plastic SIM cards, which also served as the show's invitation.

"It’s a very raw state of mind. That’s what I wanted for this collection. The sweater is the sweater, the trouser is the trouser, the jacket is the jacket. There’s no kind of over-explanation in the look," Anderson spoke of the collection. "I liked the idea of looking at subversion. Especially in London, especially in the ’70s and ’80s, and looking at great masters like [Vivienne] Westwood… I think we shouldn’t be scared of subversion. I think it’s more about not shaming, it’s ownership."

The creative further spoke of the frog clogs, "I was Googling and suddenly they came back up again. I was pestering them on the phone for weeks to see if we could [work together]. Something about them reminds me of my childhood, they were such a thing to have. They were the 'trainer' as a child. It is the only surrealist moment in the collection which, ultimately, is like a cassette player. It’s an icon of design, it’s in the design museum and in every institution, and I think it symbolizes something. They were worn in better days with our Royal Family."

See the full range in the gallery above and watch the presentation down below.

For more fashion news, take a peek at Gucci's first collection without Alessandro Michele and Prada's FW23 menswear presentation.