For his latest act, designer Jonathan Anderson is working with husband and art duo Gilbert & George on a capsule collection and book titled “The Pleasure Book for Boys with JW Anderson and Gilbert & George.” The project, which is photographed by Alasdair McLellan and styled by Benjamin Bruno, goes inside the home of Gilbert & George to shoot the artists in their studio, as well as the 25-piece collection, which features jackets, tops, and bags.
Courtesy of JW Anderson
“For me, Gilbert & George are the ultimate British Modernists and I am obsessed with their work,” Anderson said in a statement. “I really appreciate both the sense of anarchy and order in what [they] do.”
Gilbert & George have a longstanding reputation in the art and fashion worlds for their statement-making films and image series, like “Guard Plants” (1980), “Dog Boy” (1980), and “Heavy’ (1988), all three of which Anderson referenced for the collection. “[These works have] something incredibly emotional about them,” the designer told i-D in an interview.
Courtesy of JW Anderson
Gilbert & George, as well as Anderson, are no strangers to male nudity, often using it through various mediums to reframe the image of masculinity from strong and domineering to vulnerable and sensitive. They have also been longtime champions of democratizing art. “We love that people who are half or a third of our age can find us crazy and inspirational,” Gilbert & George said. “We always love to see our art going out in the world in the many ways. ART FOR ALL!”
The JW Anderson x Gilbert & George capsule collection is available at MatchesFashion.com starting December 3rd, with the book debuting on December 19th at JW Anderson.