Sunday, September 25, 2011

Milan Fashion Week Coverage

Jil Sander Spring 2012

Raf Simons’ background is in working with high-concept designers like Maison Margiela and Walter Van Beirendonck. Because of this, there’s always a buzz over what he’ll turn in for Jil Sander – a label synonymous with streamlined sophistication (and the twain rarely meet on the same turf except, on occasion, under the watchful eye of Simons). On the Spring/Summer 2012 runway, Simons marries high-concept, almost clinical white dresses with modern feminine attire. His childlike curiosities about the world of women were explored in this collection, and then actualized at the hand of an expert designer in a way no one had anticipated.

While the first look appeared to be something akin to what a surgeon would wear before scrubbing in, the following white dresses were not quite so harsh. Instead, they read like a romantic version of Florence Nightingale’s nurse uniform. Then a paisley print crept into the picture, except the paisley was exaggeratedly large and reminded one of a close-up of a paramecium or amoeba. Simons saved the biggest shock for the completely topless looks, with the model’s breasts barely covered by a fitted jacket and paired with shorts. The expanse of flesh from neck to torso was a surprise, given that the rest of the outfit was basically conservative. There was a distinctive vintage feel to many of the looks, but in a fanciful way, as if they had been filtered through the lens of Stanley Kubrick. The Picasso eye sweater was an especially artistic flourish (both literally and figuratively), but left the audience with a cocked eyebrow. Simons is steadily redefining the Sander brand with collections like this, and any fashion writer with a brain can see that this is a good thing.

written by GRACE GORDON|photos: courtesy of GoRunway

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