I Tried Uniqlo x JW Anderson’s New Academia-Themed Collection
I am back with another first look at Uniqlo’s latest collection with JW Anderson, launching today. This season’s themes are theater and academia, and you’ll find argyle sweater-vests, pleated skirts, and tweedy unisex blouson jackets. (Exactly a year ago, Strategist senior writer Michael Zhao and I did the same with the 2025 fall/winter collection. And earlier this spring, we checked out all the Uniqlo U pieces ahead of the release.) For this collaboration, I tried on all the women’s pieces plus a few men’s jackets and tops. Here’s what I liked. (Note: Everything I tried on was a sample-size small, which mostly was the correct size for me.)
Women’s
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I love a red sweater, and this high V-neck immediately caught my eye. It’s a vibrant shade, and the wool-cashmere blend feels soft and lightweight. I can imagine living in this all season.
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I also liked this cardigan. This one is 100 percent wool and has a slightly cropped hem, which works great on my short torso. And the little tucked-in front pockets are a nice touch.
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I didn’t particularly find this vest compelling, but the wool-cashmere blend is nice and the price is right.
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I am also partial to pleated skirts and loved this asymmetrical take. The poly-rayon blend felt nice and hefty and more high-end than I was expecting. The only thing that was a miss for me was the side pockets, which gaped weirdly at the hips. But I was able to cover them with the sweater.
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These pants were way too blousy and long on me. I would try an extra-small. But I liked the overall cut and silhouette, though I will say the leg is quite voluminous.
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This was very cute on. I like the plaid, and the brushed poly-nylon-wool blend is soft to the touch. The camel color is also quite nice and reads a little more sophisticated than the plaid.
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This jacket is padded and rather plain-looking, but it would be a good late-fall into early-winter option.
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I also tried on this shirt, which is part of Uniqlo’s core collection. The hem length hits perfectly on me, and the rounded, slightly Peter Pan color is a sweet detail. The cotton itself feels soft and light, too.
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This boxy plaid cotton-flannel shirt is also very soft and comfortable to wear and could be worn as a unisex style.
Men’s
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The men’s items I tried on were in a sample size of medium, so they were obviously too big on me, but I had a decent idea of how they would look in the right size. I particularly liked this rugby-style polo shirt.
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This is offered in unisex sizing and could be cute in the right size. Generally speaking, I liked the men’s unisex outerwear pieces better than the women’s.
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I loved this jacket. The cotton canvas is thick and has a lived-in look. The brown is rich and chocolaty. I rolled up the sleeves in this picture; sizing down would work well.
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