Jonathan Anderson, a prominent British designer and the creative mind behind JW Anderson, is celebrated globally for his unique talent. Since becoming the creative director of the Spanish luxury brand Loewe in 2013, Anderson has refined his distinctive aesthetic, earning him the titles of Womenswear and Menswear Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in 2015 – a first for any designer.
Originally from Northern Ireland, Anderson initially pursued acting at the Studio Theatre in Washington DC. However, his passion for costume design led him to the London College of Fashion, where he graduated with a degree in menswear design in 2005. Following a stint as a visual merchandiser for Prada, under the guidance of Manuela Pavesi, Anderson debuted as a menswear designer in 2008.
Anderson quickly gained attention as a promising new talent. In 2010, he received sponsorship from the British Fashion Council’s NewGen committee and presented his first runway collection at London Fashion Week, having already built a reputation with collections for Topman. Responding to popular demand, he launched a capsule womenswear collection in early 2010, which was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, securing him another NewGen sponsorship.
In September 2012, Anderson collaborated with Topshop on a limited-edition collection that sold out within hours. He followed up with a second collection for Topshop in February 2013 and introduced his first collection for Versace’s Versus line in June 2013.
Later in 2013, LVMH acquired a minority stake in JW Anderson and appointed Anderson as the creative director of Loewe, renowned for its leather goods and based in Madrid.
Throughout his career, Anderson has received numerous accolades from the British Fashion Council, including “Emerging Talent, Ready-to-wear” in 2012, “The New Establishment Award” in 2013, “Menswear Designer of the Year” in 2014, « Menswear Brand of the Year and Womenswear Brand of the Year » in 2015, « Accessories Designer of the Year » and « British Designer of the Year – Womenswear » in 2017. In 2015, he became a permanent jury member for the LVMH Prize and in 2019 was appointed a trustee of the Victoria & Albert Museum by UK Prime Minister Theresa May.