I don't know about you, but I'm finally defrosting. Winter was a true battle of strength this time around, but spring is edging ever-closer, and my will to live is oh-so steadily returning. A true marker that warmer weather is finally on the horizon? Uniqlo x JW Anderson's SS26 has dropped, and it's every bit as preppy and playful as you'd hoped it would be.
Look, we all know how Blighty's seasons work, and we have far more of them than just four. There's winter, Extreme Winter, apocalyptic winter, fool's summer, additional winter, fake spring, more winter, and then, finally, Actual Spring. Here to help us see in the latter and accompany a boost to our vitamin D3 supplies, Uniqlo x JWA has re-emerged as the arbiter of better weather – and a superior wardrobe.
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A sartorial SAD lamp, the wearable-but-whimsical, sugary colour palette is exactly what I need to revitalise my February slump. Masterminded by the forward-thinking Jonathan Anderson and underpinned by Uniqlo's reputation for innovation and construction, this collection encapsulates the best of both brands – and its aforementioned candied almond/mini egg-esque colour palette doesn't hurt either.
Celebrating collegiate prep via playful pastels and boxy silhouettes, this collection (rather aptly entitled ‘Prep Meets Play’) carries a touch of British water sport inspo' alongside the ease of everyday layering. Filled with everything from shorts to jeans, short-sleeved polos to zipped, warming fleeces, this is a collection that fully understands and conceptualises the changeability of Britain's spring and summer. As for my favourite pieces – anyone who knows me knows that I'm a sucker for two things: a matching set, and inky denim.
And before you say “but Uniqlo x JW Anderson is always preppy” – this season represents a totally renewed approach to prep. It's an approach grounded in comfort, breeziness, and wearability, without a single Chuck Bass-esque tie in sight. This is modern, 2026 prep.
Fangirl praise to one side, though, this collection – like Uniqlo x JW Anderson collections gone by – will not stick around forever, and stock is limited. It's on my shoulders, then, to tell you that payday is tomorrow, and this is a fleeting opportunity to build out your spring and summer wardrobe ahead of warmer climates, and inject a little optimism into your Thursday (and your seasonal sartorial arsenal). You've been warned.
