^ Jil Sander Fall/Winter 2008-09 (part 1) | (part 2)
Jil Sander. I can longer afford such clothing as I was able to years ago (and even then I had to wait for them to go on sale). I have only a few pieces - shirts, shorts, shoes - but they have lasted me nearly a decade with regular wear, and on many an occasion. My regret is that I couldn't acquire one of her immaculately tailored suits (in black of course), which definitely would have extended my wardrobe by miles (job interviews, cocktail parties, dressed down with denim jeans, t-shirts, and sneakers, dressed up with white shirt or turtleneck).
^ Jil Sander Menswear Fall/Winter 2008
The Jil Sander prescription for men (as both originated by Ms. Sander, then interpreted by Raf Simons when he took over as design director) is equally sharp and disciplined. There are no frivolities and thoughtless extravagances other than the occasionally pleasant tangs of colour or pattern to throw your assumptions off. After all, spartan doesn't always mean tight assed, and also in this case, it doesn't always entail ascetic absence of personal pleasure and luxury.
Left: My brogues. The Jil Sander brand normally prefers manufacture primarily in Italy. The products may be very modern in aesthetics, but the quality and craftsmanship are grounded in centuries old tradition, whether in tailoring or accessories like leather goods. These brogues are skillfully constructed by hand and reliably outfitted in details only the very best can feature - finest leather, full lining, thickly layered leather soles. Right: Even one who is not so trained can still discern quality in this simple hand tailored dark blue cotton shirt that's meant to be worn untucked. With a refinement bordering on obsessive, who needs any frivolous ornamentation? I also have the same shirt in white. The summer weight khaki cotton twill shorts are full cut and long enough to look more like cropped pants, especially on someone short like me. It has this intriguing cut; there are no side seams and the bound side pockets are unusually placed - you normally only see them as back pockets on trousers. The cord, hidden inside the waist, controls the fit round your waist, no belt needed. I bought all the pieces on sale at the Jil Sander store in Chicago at least eight years ago and they have always looked good, wear well, still attract attention, and never go outdated. Just like any well spent investment, clothing or otherwise.
It probably goes without saying that the Jil Sander look per se isn't meant for everyone (and you can say the same about many other designers, like Versace or Givenchy). It's definitely for those who, aside from being able to afford it, understand the aesthetics of distilled personal style stripped all the way down to sheer naked architecture. I'm thinking someone like my niece K. may not care to look this pared down, she's quite expressive of herself in her own eclectic way (think a little of Jane Birkin spiced with Anais Nin and topped with a tiny dash of Frida Kahlo). Still, I can imagine her selecting a few pieces from Sander to frame her personality, like this defiantly bright blue knee length spring coat, or perhaps this unforgivingly sexy pair of impossibly high stacked pumps.
Spending an inordinate amount of money on at least a few pieces from the Jil Sander collection (well, inordinate to someone who doesn't make a couple hundred thousand grand a year) may seem frivolous and extravagant at first glance, contradicting the spare, almost frugal aesthetic quality of the clothes and accessories. But even just a few key pieces can add a very noticeable level of polish to any wardrobe. I wear my Jil Sander shirts with trousers and jacket if it's a more dressed up event, and I roll the sleeves up over my elbows and let the shirt billow untucked over my old cargo shorts and black suede skate shoes for kicking it. Either way the shirt is refined enough to lend distinction and substance.
Think about it, would you rather buy ten Old Navy cotton t-shirts that will wear out in a few years and look ratty, or would you put the money in a single shirt of finest pima cotton, hand tailored, pristinely designed and built to last ten years or more (with proper care, natch) and will dress you up or down depending on how you wear it? Can you tell the difference between an of-the-moment splurge and a wise long term investment, particularly when you happen to be able to spend a little more?
A few supremely crafted and hard wearing pieces - an impeccably sharp black suit, spare but luxurious cashmere sweaters, a skimming and lean little black dress, fine cobbled leather oxfords or pumps - will give your wardrobe far more mileage for years and years than dozens of pieces from, say, Juicy Couture or H&M or Forever 21. And there's an added benefit: while your friends and peers look great in the trendiest looks, you're gloriously beyond that because your confidence emanates from knowing you invested in beautiful clothing that will always service you handsomely, long after your friends throw out their 'hot looks' of the moment. Invest most of your money in the finest basics, then whatever's left over can be spent casually on far less pricey fun things. Your fine clothes can then easily mingle with the more cheap and colourful items you've found on sale at the above stores or at Gap or Urban Outfitters (and will soon throw away after a few seasons anyway), securing your individuality.
Think about it, would you rather buy ten Old Navy cotton t-shirts that will wear out in a few years and look ratty, or would you put the money in a single shirt of finest pima cotton, hand tailored, pristinely designed and built to last ten years or more (with proper care, natch) and will dress you up or down depending on how you wear it? Can you tell the difference between an of-the-moment splurge and a wise long term investment, particularly when you happen to be able to spend a little more?
A few supremely crafted and hard wearing pieces - an impeccably sharp black suit, spare but luxurious cashmere sweaters, a skimming and lean little black dress, fine cobbled leather oxfords or pumps - will give your wardrobe far more mileage for years and years than dozens of pieces from, say, Juicy Couture or H&M or Forever 21. And there's an added benefit: while your friends and peers look great in the trendiest looks, you're gloriously beyond that because your confidence emanates from knowing you invested in beautiful clothing that will always service you handsomely, long after your friends throw out their 'hot looks' of the moment. Invest most of your money in the finest basics, then whatever's left over can be spent casually on far less pricey fun things. Your fine clothes can then easily mingle with the more cheap and colourful items you've found on sale at the above stores or at Gap or Urban Outfitters (and will soon throw away after a few seasons anyway), securing your individuality.
The Jil Sander aesthetic discipline consistently permeates its promotional campaigns. Right: A print advertisement for the menswear collection.
I would leave this with a final word, but I'll instead let Jil Sander herself do so as, in a 1990 interview with the erstwhile style magazine Mirabella, she said it most succinctly and effectively: "Buy less, but buy better. People have already consumed too much."
Related
Jil Sander | official site
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