J.W. Anderson opens début 'Workshop' in London

Jonathan Anderson, the designer behind J.W Anderson and creative head at Spanish luxury label Loewe, has decided to follow a different path than his contemporaries when it came to the opening of his début store, something which should come as little surprise given his reputation as a contrarian.

Rather than opening his first store with bang and fuss, Anderson quietly revealed what he has called the 'Jonathan Anderson Workshops' earlier this week. Not to be confused with the typical flagship store most designers open, the designer's 250 square foot space next to the Ace Hotel in Shoreditch is the result of an ongoing collaboration between Anderson and a group of creative spirits his associates with.

The space, which opens January 28, is set to showcase different products, displays and ideas generated by Anderson and his fellow collaborators, inspired by the Bloomsbury Group's Omega Workshops. The workshop will feature ever-shifting installations, exhibitions as well as items (sometimes for sale) in the hopes of offering visitors a one of a kind experience.

"I feel like a store should be like your house," said Anderson to Business of Fashion. "When you bring something into your room, you have to change it...Ultimately I love designing clothing, but I love arranging it too, curating it into something."

The first collaborator to feature an item in Anderson's workshop is Spanish magazine publisher Luis Venegas, who created his début photography book featuring his favourite items from Jonathan's archive. Although Anderson sees himself as more of "an agitator" than designer, even though he was named both the womenswear and menswear Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards, he remains humble in regard to the influence his work has on the industry.

"I see myself as reacting to a situation, taking from the world that’s around."