In conversation with Jonathan James William: “Using AI to design clothes is soulless and has no place in fashion design"

“Without fashion my life would be pretty boring, it is all I have committed to for almost half of my existence. I don’t think I could do anything else, nor would I want to do anything else,” Jonathan, owner of Jonathan James William and co-founder of New Future Horizon, tells New Wave Magazine.

This statement is imbued with the creative stamina it takes for all small, independent designers to survive in the industry. Jonathan is one of these: he established his menswear label, Jonathan James William (JJW), in 2024, shortly after completing his MA in Menswear Design at the prestigious art and design college, Central Saint Martins, where he was also a recipient of the British Fashion Council’s MA Scholarship. 

Whilst Jonathan comes from humble roots - he was born in a small-working class town in the outskirts of Liverpool and cites his mother as his inspiration to pursue a career in fashion - his AW24 collection carries an air of deviance, bizarreness and boldness. His pieces explore the psychological undertones of men’s tailoring and formal office wear, whilst simultaneously subverting these associations of masculinity through BDSM and techno culture. Jonathan’s ‘obsession’ with Charles Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection inspires these contradictions, and he remains passionate to explore the ways in which humans and animals have evolved and continue to evolve through clothing. 

In this interview, Jonathan shares his strong feelings about the ways the fashion industry has changed, comically citing the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the design process – which was popularised during New York City’s first AI Fashion Week two years ago - as “the equivalent to learning about fashion history through Diet Prada.” Rather, he supports the conservation of craftsmanship and artisan, confident in the belief that authenticity is what sets you apart in the industry.  

In light of his successful start as a designer, Jonathan shares the creative process behind his AW24 collection, what he believes makes him unique as a fashion designer, and the disastrous disappearance of the menswear scene in London. 

NW: To start, could you tell us a bit about yourself, your background and how you found your way into the fashion world?

JJW: I was born in a small working-class town on the outskirts of Liverpool, far removed from the epicentre of British fashion, but a town that has very much informed my research, design process and work ethic. Ever since I can remember I have always been interested in art and design of some form, dipping in and out of a whole range of creative disciplines from tattoo artist to automotive designer. It wasn’t until my aunt received (by accident) the seasonal Louis Vuitton menswear catalogue that I quickly realised from that moment I knew fashion was all I wanted to do. It was Kim Jones’ debut collection for the house - the African inspired one. 

I graduated from the MA Menswear program at Central Saint Martins last year and shortly afterwards launched my eponymous brand. Prior to this I graduated from the Fashion Design and Technology Menswear course at Manchester Metropolitan University and launched a more accessible, streetwear brand New Future Horizon with one of my closest friends in 2022.

NW: Who/what would you cite as the main inspirations that pushed you to pursue fashion?

JJW: It sounds cliché, but my biggest inspiration is my mum - in so many more ways than just pushing me to pursue a career in fashion. She has sacrificed a lot to allow me to study and work in fashion, to move to London and attend Central Saint Martins. Without her constant support there is no way I would be in the position I am today, and I will be eternally grateful for her. I am lucky to come from a family of extremely hard-working people which has perhaps subconsciously inspired me to apply this level of hard work to my own discipline. My interest in fashion also started around the same time that London Collections: Men was formed. Seeing what menswear could be was eye-opening, such as the creativity of designers like Craig Green and JW Anderson, and I felt super excited by this period in British menswear and wanting to one day be part of this schedule which now ceases to exist.

NW: How has your experience at Central Saint Martins shaped your perspective on menswear design?

JJW: I don’t necessarily think my experience at Central Saint Martins shaped my perspective on menswear but rather evolved my perspective on design. Being there taught me to be raw and be authentically myself, and to know that that was enough and that I don’t need to bullshit my way through the course and pretend to be someone I’m not. Identity and world building is a big part of the MA there and it was something I struggled with early on in the course until one day I remember it just clicking and making total sense to me. 

For me, I want to ensure that no matter how seedy or perverse my concepts are, that I want to design beautiful, desirable menswear that can be worn. That is what interests me. I would describe myself as a product guy and that is what the MA drills into you, to not see being commercial as a bad thing but as a way to sustain a business. I have never wanted to be that designer that gets all this hype for a couple of seasons and then the next season their brand no longer exists, and they are forgotten about.

NW: Could you describe your creative process? What gets you motivated? What inspires you? What method of working works best for you as a designer?

JJW: Each collection is a development from the last one. I like to envision my work as a continuum because it evolves. My MA collection was a development on from my BA collection so it’s very much about seeing what worked and what didn’t and refining it. My creative process usually begins with lots of research and then organising these into files and folders that correspond with one another - very much like working in an office which when I reflect back on, is quite ironic. I then sketch, take notes, and collate fabric samples. I am not the type of designer who drapes much but rather one who prefers the technical, mathematical approach of pattern cutting and creating toils, editing, and making small adjustments. 

The pony play trousers in my collection originally came from my BA, I reimagined and refined them and those alone took around twelve toiles to get them how I wanted them to look. As for what motivates me most, that is when I am deep in the process, ideas are flowing, some not always right but it’s exciting. The idea of achieving excellence is also something that motivates me, but that might just be the Virgo in me speaking.

NW: Your designs are inspired by your late ancestor, Charles Darwin, and his theory of evolution through means of Natural Selection. Can you explain how this theory is seamlessly integrated into your creative process and showcased in your final pieces?

JJW: As I just mentioned, I see my work as an evolution of the collections that came before and I think that is why generally speaking, Darwin’s theory seamlessly integrates into my creative process. I am really obsessed with how humans and animals have evolved and how they could continue to evolve, the same with clothing. There are references to the past in my collection, but I like to think what I make feels contemporary. 

The initial starting point for the collection was how this office worker evolves from the stereotypical dominant male figure into that of a submissive pony. My research consisted of images of mundane offices, people on the way to work (I love taking photos of people on the street going about their day), BDSM images - most notably pony play and the psyche behind that practice. The horse references slowly creeped in as the collection progressed, so too did the wearer. 

Whether it was the sleeve articulation of an overcoat, the shape and pattern cutting of a pair of trousers that was taken from vintage jodhpurs, the zip that opens up the back of a trench coat so that it can be worn when riding a horse, synthetic hair streaming out the backs of what seem like a standard office shirt so that you not only have to press your clothing but groom it too, ties made from horse hair until eventually the shape and fabrication of the pony play trousers in the final look. It got more extreme as the collection evolved.

NW: Is there any subject matter – aside from Darwin’s Natural Selection theory - that is currently inspiring your work?

JJW: I’m a very visual person so film and TV shows often play a huge role in inspiring my work. American Psycho was a very obvious and literal inspiration for my MA Collection. The Killing of a Sacred Deer also informed the clinical, surgical aspect of the shoes. For me, The Substance was the film of 2024, and is a reference that I would like to work with for my next collection. Listening to techno music and going to raves with my friends is also something that inspires my work, this idea of community and being together is almost quite religious. Things that are erotic, sinister and mysterious are at the core of informing the unsettling world I am building.

NW: Can you tell me more about the meaning of the homogenous plastic face prop worn by models during your AW24 show? How does it fit into your creative vision?

JJW: This was actually an idea I originally had seven years ago that I found in my notes app from 2018, during the second year of my BA. Upon reflecting on my pre-collection during the Summer before final year, it also accidentally coincided with my course director Fabio inadvertently calling me a narcissist after my pre-collection presentation. It was after being yelled at for 20 minutes in his office that I decided that if you want a narcissist, I’ll give you a narcissist. I then kept it secret until show selection fittings and I like to think it made a lasting impression on my tutors. 

The concept behind the masks came from feeling insecure when starting a new job and wanting to fit in and be like everyone else, but also the thrill of being inside someone else’s body and the sexual undertones linked to this. Feeling suffocated and suppressed was also a key inspiration to the masks and collection itself. None of this would have been possible without Raoul from The Face Forge. I emailed him and explained my concept which he was super excited by, he then invited me to his studio in Cambridge where he took a 3D scan of my face, 3D printed it, made a mould and then produced six identical replicas in latex. 

The latex masks are named after my Instagram handle, Big Daddy Jonny, who has become almost an alter-ego/ muse to myself as a brand. They are available to buy on The Face Forge, so anyone can be a Big Daddy Jonny. Seeing strangers wear my face is honestly quite exhilarating, maybe one day it could have some form of cult status to it - like all my favourite brands do.

NW: Do you have a favourite piece from your portfolio, and what makes it special to you?

JJW: It’s hard to narrow down just one favourite piece as the portfolio encapsulates every last detail that has been a part of your journey over the past 18 months on the course. Even if it isn’t physically visible on a page it brings back a lot of memories – maybe that’s just the way my mind works. 

I did very much enjoy working with my shadow project collaborators (the shadow project is a collaboration between a final year MA student on the design pathway with up the three students on MA Fashion Communication; fashion image, history and journalism to “shadow” you as a designer in the final two months before the show). I was lucky to have two incredible talents work with me, art director, Coraima Valdez, and fashion journalist, Vidhi Agrawal. I was the subject of a shoot that we did and Coraima expertly stripped away the perceived dominant aspect of the collection and left me feeling submissive and vulnerable, which was the whole point of the collection. 

Accompanying this was a beautifully written piece from Vidhi in which she went to extreme detail analysing me as a designer, as a person, my collection and even interviewing Fabio about me - perfect for any narcissist! It brings back a lot of happy, stressful, exciting moments, moments of self-doubt but also moments of self-worth and achievement. They are probably my favourite pieces in my portfolio.

NW: Could you touch on what you feel sets your work apart from other upcoming designers?

JJW: I feel what sets me apart most from other upcoming designers is the ability to delve deep into a concept that makes viewers question themselves and their beliefs yet still propose something that is believable within the designer market. There is a lot of surface level design - what I like to call TikTok design, that I am seeing a lot of at the moment and that doesn’t interest me. I consider myself to be fearless and I am not afraid to make people feel uncomfortable. Some upcoming designers, even some established ones, are frightened about offending people or being politically correct and that adds nothing to the conversation.

NW: Fashion can mean many different things to different people. What does fashion mean to you and why is it important in your life?

Fashion is my way of expressing myself creatively, be that in how I dress or how I design. It exudes a level of confidence which when people wear my clothes that’s how I want them to feel. My collection was very personal to me, and that is something I think all designers should consider when making a collection. Without fashion my life would be pretty boring, it is all I have committed to for almost half of my existence. I don’t think I could do anything else, nor would I want to do anything else.

NW: The fashion world is notoriously hard to break into. What would you say are the most significant challenges you’ve had to overcome to reach the stage you’re at now?

JJW: Being rejected from Saint Martins on four occasions across both BA and MA felt like quite a setback at the time and quite a significant challenge to overcome. Having said that, I have always stayed true to my vision and was confident I would study here one day, even if there were moments that I doubted my ability, I did still believe that everything happens for a reason. Even whilst I was on the MA, it was during a housing crisis and the living situation was a turbulent time for me, staying in hotels and Airbnb’s, or at best, sublets. It was quite disruptive and nomadic at times but luckily not during the latter, most vital stages of the course. 

NW: To coincide with this, what do you find the most challenging as an independent designer in the fashion industry?

JJW: The most challenging thing as an independent designer at the moment is stores taking less risks on stocking emerging brands. I don’t think London is necessarily the best place to be starting a brand at this current moment in time, at least not in the traditional sense anyway. It’s difficult to express new and innovative ideas whilst sustaining a business model that generates profit. London was always a hub for pushing creativity on a budget but without a menswear fashion week here how are we meant to compete with brands that have endless resources? 

Like I mentioned earlier, London Collections: Men was a huge part of the early stages of my interest in fashion, and for that to no longer exist makes being an independent menswear designer in London that little bit harder. Not to mention the ever-increasing rent costs. The London menswear scene is dead as a result of this, no one shows in London anymore, they either show in Milan or Paris. Fashion East also opting to discard their MAN show also felt like a backwards step in terms of helping emerging menswear talent and giving them a platform. I would love to be part of a menswear collective that reignites a spark in the London’s men’s scene.

NW: Has technology, such as Artificial Intelligence, 3D printing, and digital fashion, influenced your design process, and if not, will it in the future?

Using artificial intelligence to design clothes is what I would describe as the equivalent to learning about fashion history through Diet Prada. It’s lazy and does not appeal to me on any level. As for digital fashion, that reminds me of a time during Covid-19 when we were all deprived of and longing for human touch, its soulless and in my opinion has no need in the world in the fashion world today. It’s the disconnect from craftsmanship and artisans that both of these lack. I want garments to be considered, worn and admired, passed down through generations, not just seen through a screen or brought into fruition by a computer. 3D printing on the other hand is a tool I could see myself using again in some form. 

NW: I know it’s probably hard to narrow it down to just one, but if there was one thing you would like to see change in the fashion industry, what would it be?

Designers who are being taken seriously, who shouldn’t be taken seriously. 

NW: To finish the interview, is there anything exciting coming in the future you could let us know about?

I am in the early stages of developing a new collection for my namesake brand, one that I will release on my own terms when I feel the time is right. I am also in the early stages of collaborating with The North Face again on releasing the shoes that were in my MA collection, a more commercially viable and developed version. They should hopefully be available in stores later this year. My friend and I are also set to relaunch New Future Horizon after taking a hiatus to allow me to finish my degree. We will be launching our AW25 collection next month and the first drop will be available in the coming months.