THERE was a sombre mood as we took our seats at the Jil Sander show this afternoon – despite rumours persisting that designer Raf Simons is leaving the house to go to YSL (if Stefano Pilati goes to Dior), or to Dior, which would be good news, and despite confirmation that Jil Sander herself is returning to the helm of the fashion house she founded which is very good news, we still mourned the end of a hugely successful era that has seen Simons embraced as one of the most exciting names in the industry.
This collection was as breathtaking as ever in its gorgeous simplicity, its calmly pretty colour palette and soft shapes a comforting balm to the emotional mood. Models wandered around Perspex pillars bursting with floral arrangements in cashmere coats that were collarless and fastened only by one hand holding it together at the neck. Roomy and soft shouldered, they were pale pink lined in cream or soft tan lined in pink. Gorgeous sleeveless dresses in panels of woolly pink knit, perforated cream jersey and nude or red cashmere were deliciously luxurious inner skins to the all-enveloping coats.
Bustier dresses of cashmere, then metallic leather, then slippery black PVC had sail-like skirts with squared off seams to create extra room around the hips and white full legged trousers had rib-high waistlines to show off more stiff nude bustier tops to perfection.
It was romantic, feminine and a touch nostalgic with some of Simons’ greatest hits alluded to – huge billowing skirts and one bubblegum pink tailored cocktail dress – and it was easy to wear too. One full skirted blue dress had a sweetheart neckline featuring a keyhole of nude chiffon, while the cashmere coats reappeared in scarlet and you could almost see the brainwaves clashing above us as people made mental notes of which one they wanted to put their name down for first.
The shoes showed that the Jil Sander woman can still celebrate, even if she is a little sad – pointed, ankle-strapped heels in panels of neon pink, silver and cream – and as Raf took his bow, the audience went wild, roaring onto the stage to insist on an encore appearance, which they eventually got, albeit shyly.
Wherever he lands next, we’re going to enjoy watching him there – and yet Jil Sander remains one of Milan’s hottest tickets now that he’s giving the house limelight back to its rightful owner. Sander herself founded the label in 1973 (having opened her first boutique in Hamburg in 1968), and it grew to be one of the most respected labels in Milan. She then sold it to the Prada Group in 2000 but soon afterwards made the shock move of leaving it altogether, as rumours emerged that she clashed professionally with Prada owner Patrizio Bertelli (husband of Miuccia Prada).
In 2003, she was persuaded back to reignite the label’s popularity, which had waned under the guidance of her replacement, Milan Vumirovic (who later went to Trussardi). However, by all accounts relations with her parent company remained strained and she stepped down again in 2004, replaced by Raf Simons the following year. Let’s hope it’s third time lucky for her.
