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Spring | Jil Sander SS13

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Raf Simon’s Fall 2012 collection for Jil Sander – the brand – allowed us to see the Wall Street man’s inner child. Jil Sander herself seemed to find inspiration in Simons, who kept a label full of restriction continuously liberating itself, and managed to put together a collection worthy of being one of the season’s tops. Whether or not this Spring collection was inspired by Raf’s last bits leading the label, the youthfulness and not so serious man definitely served as inspiration for the designer who founded the brand and is on her second “comeback” after years of hiatus, spent mostly at japanese mega-brand Uniqlo.

For her return as creative director, Jil Sander reinvented and reintroduced the staples to the new Jil Sander man/young-man. Suiting only showed range in color like in dusty white with soft khaki. The “young Wall Street navy” and mini dot pattern also was introduced. The high hems broke suiting out of it’s serious state. Side note: If you haven’t purchased a white dress shirt there are only two places for this : Sander or Klein. The graphic tees looked as expensive as the suiting it was paired with. That deserves a bravo, since Raf Simons is one of the other designers who can accomplish the same. He also has the skill to send down the runway the best cobalt blue. If baggy shorts, multiple color usage, and forward-thinking male accessories are all things Jil Sander will be detaching slowly from the brand, then let’s hope she doesn’t keep the label from reaching redundancy.

Yes! Raf Simons took the label to a different light. But he made those progressions from Sander’s original idea.

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from l to r : Louise Gray, Marc by Marc, Alberta Ferretti, Jil Sander, and Jill Stuart

Bold color presence this current season shows vibrancy with shades of dominant orange. Louise Gray chose a contemporary approach mixing aquatic references with bright shades of orange and patch work construction. While Alberta Ferretti exhibited a feminine touch with sheer elements and flowing silhouettes while Jill Stuart uses an idyllic silhouette to accentuate the brightness. Fresh vibes with a bright loose fitted trouser was Marc by Marc’s interpretation. Jil Sander used the bold orange iPad-lanyard to contrast against a severe all black wet look.

Raf Resumes the Reigns, Now at Dior

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jil sander 1

It’s been a long time coming.The fashion industry has waited for over a year with almost bated breath – I say almost purely because at first it was and then it became more exasperated than bated – for the announcement of who would take a seat at the creative helm of Dior after it was vacated by John Galliano due to anti-Semetic comments, unbecoming of one in a position of power at LVMH. Names like Riccardo Tisci, Marc Jacobs and Haider Ackerman were all at one time or another considered to be front runners, yet each was systematically denied for some reason or another. And now we know: Raf Simons has moved from his creative directive roles at Jil Sander – to be replaced by Jil Sander herself – to take the helm at Dior, designing womenswear and couture.

Jil Sander Fall 2012

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jil sander 1

The speculations surrounding Raf Simons and his recent separation with Jil Sander, the brand, were not enough to lessen the impact of his last collection for the brand. The song “Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star introduced us to what could have been Mr.Simon’s most romantic and sexiest collection. An oversized wool-dress-coat came down the runway in the most purest earthy-pink, held closed next to the chest; a Geisha-like quality. If Raf Simons is allegedly taking over the house of Christian Dior, then the excitement to see a collection by a true modernist in his time has proven to be beyond and yet equally shocking.

As seen in the previous spring collection, the Jil Sander woman has started to become aware of her body. The continuation to highlight her figure in a easy way was evident in Saturday’s act. Let’s say that perhaps the geisha took off her Kimono? After the heart-shape one piece jumper and the key coat of the collection (which also came in black), the introduction of the ever so symbolic color red reinforced how romantic the Jil Sander woman is becoming. After skipping through the metallic dresses and somewhat of a less dominate suiting group came the closing black dresses. One dress was shown half constructed in leather that accentuated the breast of the woman wearing it, then a sleeveless LBD was offered with PVC (now tha’ts a bold lady), and the closing dress could of easily blend in Mr. Dior’s “new look” in the 40s.

Well done Mr.Simons and lets hope that the founder of the brand can continue the revival you made possible.

Jil back at Jil Sander

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Minutes after yesterday’s announcement that Raf Simons was out at Jil Sander, the rumours that Jil Sander, the founder of the label, was in began. Espoused as veritable fact from the offset, few actually doubted that though the brand had yet to announce it, the label would find itself back under the control of the designer who had started it all. Suzy Menkes’ article in the New York Times citing a quote from an anonymous German, familiar with the matter, only seemed to at least partly cement popular opinion,

“Paradigms change and evolve from season to season, but the heart of a brand doesn’t alter. It will be a great challenge and a great joy to design JIL SANDER’s contemporary identity. I am convinced that the moment is favorable as could be wished. The fashion world needs original voices and genuine signatures. I will do my best to, once again, join the choir.” – Jil on the change.

The appointment is set to be effective Feb. 28, 2012

Raf Simons out at Jil Sander

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In the past few minutes Twitter has been thrown in a bit of tizzy with the news. Rumours that have floated around from fashion capital to fashion capital have been revealed as true.

Fact: Raf Simons, the Belgium designer at the creative head of his own eponymous label as well as Jil Sander, will show his last collection for Jil Sander this Saturday.

After 7 years of service, upon an “agreement” between the designer and the brand, Raf Simons will step down from his Creative Director position as of Feb. 27. Jil Sander says “Jil SANDER thanks Raf Simons for his dedicated commitment to the brand, throughout these years, and wishes him the very best for the future.” as a part of their release.

Jil Sander Fall 2012

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Sleek blackout! Last seasons’ boy that loved to play in the rain decided to grow up and get a Wall Street job. While he still travels with his lunch bag to work, the severity of his current wardrobe contrasts with the youth of the inner boy. The progression of Raf Simons at Jil Sander has become a reverse notion to more austere outerwear and sculptural suits. At this brand the diluting of a garment and stepping back to the necessary components, is only accepted as an evolution. Mr. Simons has admitted his separation to the person who founded the house on reduction, but internally his collections again only represent the contrary. I guess this is might be a play on contradiction.

A Long sleeve leather crew neck like sweater was constructed out of leather. Leather suits, leather trench coats, and a leather parka managed to reinforce the maximum use of one fabric. This perhaps can be the most honest road to true minimalism the Belgium designer has taken.

Its become evident that at Raf Simons (brand), Simons plays with the remembrance of childhood in adult form. While at Jil Sander he struggles to embrace his current state of adulthood.

Expectations of Simons taking over the reigns at Dior flooded the press a few weeks back. Is he the “8th Antwerp”? will hopefully be a more important question.

Fiasco’s Top Fall 2011 Ad Campaigns

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Gucci by Mert & Marcus

As temperatures drop and the leaves follow a few of our own select their favorite ad campaigns for the Fall 2011 season. Coming as no surprise, photography duo Mert and Marcus remain as an almost universal institution for the luxury industry shooting at least 24 campaigns spanning menswear, womenswear, fragrance, and eyewear.

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