When something is minimal, the details come alive. A lack of print, pattern or fanfare might mean your eye is drawn more to the finish, material or colour. While Jil Sander has always been a brand with minimalism at its core, Luke and Lucie Meier, in their third season as creative directors of the house, understand that when delivering minimalism, the minute details are some of the most treasured aspects. The duo celebrates the little labours of love, knowing that it is their own flourish or trumpet call.
One example of this was the set of the Jil Sander S/S 19 show. The duo came to the old pannetone factory back in Spring to plant a selection of buddleja. By the time the fashion pack arrived, the white tiles of the factory were bursting with greenery, each forming a natural divider for models to walk around. A detail of the show you might have missed, or perhaps taken for granted, but nevertheless important.
This planting was referential; the influence of nature, nature's collision with space, and the attention-to-detail, all had a place within the collection. Nature had most definitely influenced the colour-way of almond, almost pistachio, honey and slate: the three sage coloured looks had such movement they could have sprung from the earth. Calico-like shirting felt almost fictile while the white knitted dresses were fresh and artisanal. Large sandals, which looked akin to those of a maiko, were carved of natural wood and were one of the best details here.
Shirts, of which the brand is perhaps most known for, carried a light stiffness with open cuff and in some cases a light square detailing across the chest. Leather bags were folded and turned on their side as models walked - a small styling edit but one that cemented these looks as both practical and 'a la mode'. Doodles appeared across jumper and shirt as if a reminder to let creativity, as the Meier's did with nature, free-flow.
This Jil Sander collection felt calmer and freer than others before, perhaps even more youthful and relatable. While still a bit monastic in its minimalism, it's that eye for the little things that really made this collection a winner.
