As a masterful monochord pair, Gilbert & George flawlessly perform their score where one begins a sentence and the other completes it. They are two voices but one answer. The so-British artistic couple are matched not only in thought but also in their fixed uniform costumes, which are complementary in color and have become their brand image since their inauguration in 1967 while studying sculpture at Saint Martin’s School of Art in London.
With his youthful look and rebellious wick, like a wisp in perpetual motion, northern Irishman Jonathan Anderson seems to be in perfect contrast. He divides his time between his own brand, JW Anderson, and the Spanish luxury house Loewe. Known for his quirky sartorial signature, Anderson found his latest inspiration in the motto of his fellow compatriot, Oscar Wilde: “The secret of life is in art.” The fashion designer doesn’t hide his admiration for Gilbert & George’s work, though, having collaborated with the duo previously in 2018, and reminds us in passing how much the generations continue to influence each other.
PAMELA GOLBIN: Do you believe there is a relationship between art and fashion?
GILBERT: None. Absolutely none. We never looked at fashion. When we started to walk the streets of London in 1968, we wanted to be ourselves in a big way. That’s why we owned the suits of—
—the suits of our responsibility. As lower-class people, we believe that it’s very important that you put on a suit for an important occasion. If you go out for a job or go to a wedding or a funeral or a christening, you put on a suit. And we believe that every single day of our life is very
