May 21, 2010,
3:28 pm
Jil, Diffused
By
CATHY HORYN
Yesterday was a bit of a crazy day so I didn’t get a chance to talk about the new Jil Sander Navy line. There’s not much to say, really. It’s a minimalist line aiming for friendlier prices in a world saturated with them. The standout piece among those presented was the print scarf dress, and I liked the crisp look of the trench skirt and the flattering cut of the slim pants. The kelly-green trench dress was cute, too. Though I saw connections to the Jil Sander aesthetic, past and present, those design values can be found in many places—Uniqlo, Calvin Klein, Banana. Last year, I bought a Jil Sander pre-season draped-front dress in navy cotton jersey for about $590. I’ve gotten lots of mileage out it, and it’s probably less money than some of the Navy pieces. So what am I getting? We’re all making those kinds of decisions about clothes. Is a $200 pair of leggings or pants really worth it or will I trade up to something with a little more design? Will I stick with a trusty designer label and just buy less? Clearly a task before the team designing Navy—which is not Raf Simons’ team for the main Jil collections—is to create smart, useful pieces that are a skip ahead of the “lifestyle” miasma.
Barneys had a cheery lunch yesterday for Iman to celebrate her CFDA award and, of course, for being a remarkable woman. As we sat down to a long table, about 25 of us—David Bowie, Pat Cleveland, Stephen Burrows, Desiree Gruber, Julie Gilhart, Daphne Guinness, Hamish Bowles, Teri Agins—Simon Doonan, the store’s creative director, trilled, “Welcome to the lingerie department.” The display staff had tented the place for bras and knickers with sheets of crumpled white paper. A new-economy approach to decorating, with sweet peas and peonies on the table.
