25 September 2023 |
For some designers, nostalgia can be a point of inspiration but for Jil Sander’s Lucie and Luke Meier, the opposite is true. Instead, they choose to envision the future, playing with the ideas of daywear and glamor, tailoring and technical, as well as what could be feminine and masculine. The duo said in the show notes that this collection was about reimagining classics like coats, dresses, jackets, tunics and uniforms elevating them with a mixture of technique, traditional craft, and industrial construction. In their eyes, this point of view serves as a mirror to our current eclectic, mobile, technical age.
The themes were evident once the opening look, a light olive green gown that combined knitwear with formal dressing, emerged on the runway. Accessorized with a close fitting knit cap and sparkly rhinestone collar, it looked equally at home for day as it did for night. The looks segued into other explorations of monochromatic dressing be it a slate blue tank layered over coordinating slouchy Bermuda shorts or a pale pink jacket worn over a dress. Grommets, both small and exaggeratedly large in scale, added interest to lapels, knits, and vests while plastic paillettes replaced beading and fringe, with looks that were heard before they were even seen.
While the overall tone was mostly minimal, a section towards the end offered pops of neon as well as large blown out photo prints that included images of a cat and a dog as well as steel and zircon jewels. There were also broderie anglaise dresses, as a nod to the idea of classic craft, in white, acid yellow, and black. These served as a jolt before segueing back into evening appropriate dressing, complete with jangly rhinestone ankle accents on all of the heels.
Speaking of sparkle, accessories were a standout, especially the oversized stacked ear cuffs. The brand also introduced a new edition of the Jil Sander Cannolo bag as well as the Coin bag. Other noteworthy styles include the Vertigo, made with spiraled strips of leather as well as the Goji pillow bags. With plenty to choose from, the minimalist woman is sure to be happy next season.
Photography courtesy of Jil Sander.
