Jil Sander’s greatest achievement, as Vogue once said—apropos of describing a smart gray suit—was “rekindling the relationship between professionalism and chic.” Creating a work uniform that was cosmopolitan and cool instead of secretarial pool dowdy was what enabled her to elevate her company from its modest beginnings in the fashion hinterland of Hamburg, Germany, to a label favored by some of the world’s most powerful women.

Sander’s “less and luxe” design mission was groundbreaking in the ’80s—and it remains potent decades later. As an unwavering champion of minimalism—most particularly, the stripped-down suit—Sander was a key force behind the sea change in women’s fashion in the ’80s and ’90s, as excess went out and restrained finesse came in. Her trademarks were neutral colors, unusual textures (quality fabrics were her hobbyhorse), and an open-minded attitude toward technological innovation (in 1999, for example, she used Nike Air Max mesh for suiting).

As minimalism fell to a low ebb and maximalism was all the rage in 1999, Sander sold a majority stake of her company to the Prada Group, unleashing a period of Sturm und Drang at the house. Half a year after selling, she resigned as designer, only to return, briefly, three years later, then resign again. She was brought back a second time in 2012, as the industry rode a new wave of less-is-more, but then abruptly bowed out for a third time in 2013.

During his seven-year run as the creative head of the brand, the iconoclastic Belgian designer Raf Simons continued to explore this more-popular-than-ever formula of enriched minimalism, splashing his crisp silhouettes with neon color, shine, and even fringe. Although the overall oeuvre was still often labeled “intellectual,” there was a whiff of, yes, seduction on the runway: “I’ve given the house high heels and sexy red carpet dresses,” Simons told Vogue in 2010. “These things didn’t exist before.”

Today, Lucie and Luke Meier head up the label.

Helmut Lang

Spring/Summer 2004 • Menswear

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