Athletic Chic: UNIQLO collaborates with JW Anderson on their latest edit, 'A Sporting Way of Life'

Here's a strong similarity between cybercultures like dark academia and athleisure. Both have risen as trends in fashion post the pandemic and are reigning strong even three years after they had started emerging. But have you ever wondered what a sartorial marriage of the two would look like? Apparel retailer UNIQLO, in collaboration with UK-based fashion label JW Anderson, has launched their edit A Sporting Way of Life, that reinterprets quintessential British style through an elegant-yet-playful lens, taking inspiration from the traditional sports of British universities. “For this season, we were looking at heritage sportswear and how to translate it. We wanted to reinterpret it, blending it more with modern sportswear and the technical materials that UNIQLO has incredible capabilities in,” says Jonathan Anderson, creative director of JW Anderson, taking us through the inspiration behind the line. He adds, “we really wanted to include the vintage sports jackets associated with rowing teams in this collection. Then, we wanted to introduce a new take on this classic jacket, reworking it into a more lightweight iteration, by using modern, technical fabrics and execution.”

Think traditional cricket cardigans with sports leggings or hand-drawn British sporting team motifs on utility shorts designed for men. Or the women’s cricket cardigan with athletic uniforminspired lines in a light cotton-linen blend that is comfortably cool; or AirSense blazers, which feature for the first time in the  collaboration line. For the uninitiated, AirSense is a stretchable, lightweight, quick-drying high-performance fabric that incorporates comfort into the functionality of sportswear. The collection reimagines these iconic, preppy items in that fabric, finished with the original JW Anderson logo button.

Several items in the lineup also double as sportswear for women. These include tennis-inspired pleated mini skirts and croppedbra tank tops with leggings. Apart from these, the collection also features chambray oversized shirts and accessories such as caps, hats and socks.

But what does he consider the most special thing about the collection? “It’s more the idea of pieces that can be mixed throughout the seasons. The AirSense jacket in particular – it’s such an updated fit and material. It can be styled with something as simple as easy, casual jeans and yet still feel really modern,” Jonathan says signing off.

INR 1,990. Available online.

Email: prattusa@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @MallikPrattusa

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