Focus on... Designers!
Top Model TV's BBC girl about town Amy Shead takes an in-depth look at the men, and women, who influence our style (and purses!) on a daily basis.
This time out it's... JILL SANDER.
The 'Onion Look'.
Heidemarie Jiline, or as we know her – Jill Sander was born in 1943, and launched her first women’s collection in 1973. She is best known for her minimalistic approach to her designs, however her philosophy of fashion is far from simplistic.
One of Sanders original distinctive style traits was using fabrics traditionally associated with menswear for her women’s clothing. That signature design of the perfectly cut white shirt, as well as the trouser suit is still popular to this day amongst sophisticated working women across the world. She is renowned for aiming her designs at women who value graceful, clean lines, over obvious sex appeal.
1979 saw Sander launching her very own cosmetic range ‘Jill Sander Cosmetics’. Her creations were coordinates that could all be easily combined with one another, and the company proved to be an enormous success, apparently creating the so-called ‘zwiebel-look’ (onion look).
Flagship stores where soon opened in Paris, Milan and New York, and licences were then given for eyewear and leather accessory lines also. In 2009, Sander announced the creation of her own fashion consultancy, where she began overseeing the design of a label called +J. The collections feature the minimalist aesthetic and demure colours typical of Sander. The collections were released throughout Asia, and first seen in London in January 2010, closely followed by New York.
Prada group bought a 75% share in the company in 1999, with Sander becoming chairwoman. Six months later Sander left after confrontation with Patrizio Bertetelli, a quick-tempered businessman, over his suggestion of using cheaper fabrics. The company suffered both creatively and financially without Sander, however she returned briefly in 2003 as head designer, before then terminating her cooperation for good in 2004 after more disagreements with Bertelli
In 2009, Sander announced the creation of her own fashion consultancy, where she began overseeing the design of a label called +J. The collections feature the minimalist aesthetic and demure colours typical of Sander. The collections were released throughout Asia, and were first seen in London in January 2010, closely followed by New York.
14/10/2010
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