JW Anderson's S/S 25 Runway Show Was a Feast for the Eyes

It's that time of year! And no, I'm not referring to pumpkin spice latte season. Yep, it's the start of fashion month. Obviously, it's an energizing time for us as editors, as we get a sneak peek into the sartorial future as designers present the collections that will launch in six months. It can also be slightly chaotic. Just when things have started winding down for our editors at New York Fashion Week, it starts picking up across the pond. We've already seen the style set descend onto the cobbled streets of England to attend runway shows at London Fashion Week. What makes this fashion capital so cool compared to others is that it's been the launching pad for some of the exciting emerging talent in fashion. Case in point? Jonathan Anderson, the creative force behind Loewe and JW Anderson. Whereas other creative directors may choose to leave their home shores after reaching cult status or capturing a chair at a luxury house, Anderson has continuously shown his womenswear collections in London.

The recent spring/summer 2025 collection runway show this past Sunday was no exception to that rule. Anderson showed a spring collection across from Tower Bridge in an old fish market that managed to strike the perfect balance between heritage and modern. Much like previous runway shows, there were elements of what first established this brand, such as the debut of a buzzy handbag or a celebrity-filled front row. With this S/S 25 show, however, other unexpected elements of the collection seemingly aimed to satisfy an emerging cultural craving for a more clean-cut approach to clothing. Overall, the runway show offered something for every type of fashion girl, which we will break down into bite-size nibbles. Keep scrolling to read our full debrief of the JW Anderson S/S 25 runway show.

The Celebrity Attendees

WHO: Normani Kordei Hamilton

Our former cover star, Normani, was one of the biggest stars to attend JW Anderson's S/S 25 womenswear show this season. The musician wore a matching pointelle tank and briefs, a pink satin coat, and Mary-Jane pumps.

WHO: Poppy Delevingne

One thing about Anderson is that he's always going to get some of the coolest people in fashion to pull up to his show. Case in point? Poppy Delevingne. The actress and model wore a chocolate brown spaghetti-strap tank top with baggy black jeans from the brand.

WHO: Anna Wintour

Long before JW Anderson's collections went viral on social media, Anna Wintour championed the brand. In fact, not only did the editor in chief attend this season's show, but she also wore a custom creation made by Anderson for the last Met Gala.

WHO: Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Beyond inviting fashion industry legends to the S/S 25 show, a few exciting actresses were also in attendance. One of them was Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who starred in the blockbuster film A Wrinkle in Time and serves as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador. She chose to wear a denim dress from the brand's S/S 24 collection.

WHO: Michelle Dockery

If you've binged Downtown Abbey or Anatomy of a Scandal, then chances are Michelle Dockery is already on your radar. But if she wasn't, her look for JW Anderson's show (a green suit styled with white accessories) should surely put her in your sights. Like other show attendees, she wasn't afraid to take risks this season.

The Street Style

PSA: JW Anderson's front row wasn't the only thing worth paying attention to from the S/S 25 show. We also saw other attendees go all-out with their street-style looks by wearing pieces from the brand—including the S/S 25 menswear look worn by Mytheresa's Chief Business Officer Tiffany Hsu.

We also saw the model Mia Regan embrace the tradition of attendees wearing the brand's pieces to the show by wearing a printed knit mini fresh off the JW Anderson S/S 25 menswear runway.

We also saw the style set wear pieces from the brand's recently released F/W 24 collection, such as the London street style look above, which features a paneled flap sweater.

It wasn't just the knitwear, though, that stood as a crowd-favorite among the London style set this season. We also saw one attendee wear the oversize grey coat dress spotted in the F/W 24 collection.

While there were plenty of examples of the style set wearing JW Anderson in the wild, one of the most easy-to-spot items was the brand's handbags. Unlike other luxury houses, this brand has set itself apart from the crowd by its more eclectic designs. In fact, many attendees carried the brand's viral animal-shaped clutch bags. That unique approach to design was something that we saw incorporated into the S/S 25 collection, too.

The Noteworthy Moments

1. Anderson Found "Liberation"

One of the defining elements of Anderson's design perspective has always been his ability to draw out the drama—something still present in the S/S 25 womenswear show. In proper form to the house's heritage, the collection had a few runway looks playing with portions. Most notably, models sauntered down the runway to upbeat techno, wearing voluminous skirts with skintight knitted tank tops (see runway looks 7, 8, 11, 18, and 22).

Ultimately, the dramatic skirt shapes played into the collection's larger theme of "setting strict boundaries as a liberating act" by styling flowy skirts with a bit of structure. The looks were arguably the best example of how Anderson has built a luxury brand for 16 years without becoming beholding to the structures (or silhouettes) of the past.

2. Boots Were Made for Walkin'

Anyone who's been a fan of Anderson's work for a long time is likely aware of the designer's over-the-top footwear (after all, this creative force behind those viral Loewe S/S 23 sandals with life-like rose, egg, soap, and nail polish heels!). But in the recent JW Anderson show, we saw a shift away from those more surrealist-inspired shoes to something made for walking. Throughout the S/S 25 collection, flat biker boots were styled for every look, which was far more approachable than footwear options featured in the past.

But make no mistake—these boots still had those signature quirkier elements, such as a super-slouchy shape falling askew at the ankle and an oversize silver zipper across the top of the boot. They were the perfect example of how this collection walked the fine line between minimalism and maximalism.

3. Surreal Knitwear

While most might immediately associate JW Anderson with the brand's footwear or bags, knitwear has been a part of the brand's signature for countless seasons. According to the show notes, Anderson wanted to pay homage to that history by aiming to create a "time warp of sorts," reflected through the usage of allover argyle motifs from previous collections (see runway look 14). In addition to drawing inspiration from the brand's past, Anderson looked forward to the future by embracing various techniques.

The more surrealist-leaning knitted dresses used giant weaving techniques to create bows and knots, but there was also a signature play at illusions through silk dresses with screen-printed knits on top. Each looks masterfully wove in aspects of where the brand has been and where it hopes to be in the future.

4. Meet the Loafer Bag

Being that so much of JW Anderson's popularity (at least in the womenswear market) was built upon the brand's buzzy handbags, we'd be doing you a disservice if we didn't bring up this season's newest drop. The debut of the S/S 25 collection marked the introduction of the Loafer Bag—a rectangular shoulder with a slightly slouchy shape adorned with a whale-tail penny keeper.

The bag, which drew inspiration from traditional menswear, is another manifestation of Anderson's ability to make even the most "mundane" items in our wardrobes feel modern. Mark my words: It's only a matter of time before this bag becomes an overnight sensation.

5. Structural Drop-Waist Dresses Stole the Show

Last but certainly not least, the standout moment from JW Anderson's S/S 25 show wasn't related to a celebrity or a cult-status clutch but rather a structural drop-waist dress. Across social media, we saw the style set losing their minds over the silhouette of two dresses in the collection (explicitly look # 24 and look #25). With these two dresses, "straightforward" silk materials become something else entirely because of skillful tailoring.

Black and cobalt blue silk was cut to create a deep V-neckline adorned with a lace inset and draped to create a drop-waist with a voluminous skirt. The show's runway looks managed to embody what Anderson seemingly set out to do with his S/S 25 collection: serve us something to chew on without using too many ingredients. It was a satisfying treat.