J.W. Anderson's Spring/Summer 2018 men's collection was held in Florence on June 14th. He was invited as a guest designer at Pitti Immagine Uomo 92, and the show was held in the gardens of Villa la Pietra on the outskirts of Florence. This marked Anderson's first overseas collection, having previously only shown his regular collections in London. "The theme this time was 'normality.' This year marks exactly 10 years since my debut, and I've been thinking anew about what normality means," Anderson said at a press conference on the day of the show. He explained that Florence is a tourist city for him and the general public, and that the location of his seasonal collection was a given when he was invited to Pitti Uomo. The venue was a palazzo owned by New York University. The Italian Renaissance-style garden, with its multi-layered geometric flowerbeds, countless statues, terracotta vases, and decorative balustrades overlooking the city of Florence, resembled a garden theater. White Irish linen cushions embroidered with J.W. Anderson were placed on both sides at ground level. Guests sat on these cushions to watch the runway.

The idea, inspired by the fact that "people always look up when they come to Florence," inevitably drew the audience's attention to the shoes and bottoms. News topics included a collaboration with Converse. Commercialized pieces were also featured, including Chuck Taylors covered in green and blue sequins and pants with the "J.W. Anderson" logo printed across the entire garment in a font reminiscent of Coca-Cola.

The deformed heart motif, in particular, was an icon of this season, appearing on various items, including the trench coat in the first look. Caricature-style illustrations also appeared in pop styles on knitwear and the backs of flight jackets. The stories behind the items also include scandalous topics surrounding film director Orson Welles.

J.W. Anderson, who sensationally stirred up the fashion scene with his genderless style, has now reached a new level with this heartfelt collection.

Text: Tatsuya Noda