JW anderson molds hardened plasticine clay into wearable hoodies and shorts for SS24 show

JW Anderson SS24 with plasticine clay hoodies and shorts

JW Anderson turns to plasticine, the dubbed UK counterpart of the US’ Play-Doh, and molds it into hardened and wearable hoodies and shorts for his SS24 collection. In an Instagram post, JW Anderson describes the method as classic draping that has been replaced by the act of manual molding. The usually saggy-looking hoodies and shorts have become boxy and rigid, as if the wearer becomes a Roblox character in real life. Contrasting dye colors the ensemble, ranging from vivid orange and cement gray to jeans blue and vanilla white.

JW Anderson’s SS24 puts a spin on pragmatism by shrinking, curving, tilting, expanding, and molding the collection’s hoodies, blazers, trousers, shorts, and jackets, to name a few. The appearance of the hoodies and shorts made of hardened and molded plasticine follows the theme’s brief. Plasticine is a non-drying and non-hardening clay, so for JW Anderson to transform the soft and pliable material into stiff and often-exacting streetwear surely toys with the idea of pragmatism.

images by JW Anderson

Streetwear designed with petroleum-based wax

Jonathan Anderson, the creative director of JW Anderson, zeroes in on reduction. In a Vogue report, he says that observing people on the street and the kind of outfits and styles young people wear induced the idea of cutting back for him. As the hoodies and shorts made of hardened and molded plasticine clay rush off the runway during his SS24 show in London’s Roundhouse, their styles may stand out from the rest of his collection, drawn from the way streetwear evokes familiarity with a fresh take.

More about the material used, plasticine may be ideal for more crafty and artistic projects, including sculptures and even stop-motion animation. Since it can be easily molded by hand, iterations to the user’s liking are easily made. Plasticine requires no baking or firing in a kiln to set, which makes it different from traditional clay. It is also made with petroleum-based wax, calcium carbonate, and pigments compared to clay’s minerals, silt, sand, and other organic materials. While it is malleable, plasticine may be better used for projects that are temporary and reusable.

the molded and hardened hoodies and shorts made of plasticine clay come out in vivid colors