Maximum Minimalism: How Jil Sander Changed the Industry
Jil Sander started her business in 1968 when she was only 24 years old. She concentrated on the principles of purism and perfectionism and is often referred to as the first feminist of fashion. Regardless of the credit attributed to Coco Chanel in the 1930s or Yves Saint Laurent in the 1960s, Jill had incredible claims to empower women through clothing.
“I never thought of myself as a feminist, but maybe I was because I was not happy with the way women presented themselves,” said the designer. – I think my work was more about gender convergence and a more androgynous way for men and women. And in the era when women entered the world of business, my work was useful to them. ”
In addition, understanding and knowledge of the female silhouette has also manifested itself in her collections. The German philosophical term Zeitgeist, translated “zeitgeist”, is a concept that Sander has often sought for inspiration when designing garments that reflect prevailing times and needs. Ultimately, the image of a post-war German woman helped launch her career. At that time, women’s wardrobe began to change with progressive social, economic and political times. To keep her “clean” designs up to date, Sander refined and reshaped the detail and proportions of the models in ways that often reflect modernity.
The Sander brand was initially unpopular and controversial. Her decidedly minimalist aesthetic clashed directly with the maximalist designs that have run the industry from the late 70s through the 80s. In those early years, it was her simplistic design that stood out from the sea of shallow silhouette and shoulder pads. Despite everything, she continued to be true to her iconic “cleanliness” and it was only since the 1990s that the modern gender-neutral combination of feminine sophistication, masculine silhouettes and luxurious Sander fabrics made her the clear favorite of the decade striving for modern minimalism.
Sander has created a whole new kind of fashion for the modern business woman. The finest fabrics, clean lines and no frills. She emphasized the uniqueness of her clients. In her understanding, fashion is convenience, style and quality. Meanwhile, she never tried to copy the men’s clothing style.
Despite her extremely minimalist, aesthetic and seemingly repetitive design, a big part of Sander’s success actually lies in her ability to make the small adjustments needed to dramatically improve the look of a piece. Often in fashion there are things like “needs” and “desires” – two categories that are sometimes difficult to combine into one product. Sander is a true master when it comes to combining these things.
