Sculptural Jil Sander

andrew lamb/catwalking.com
In the course of one day Milan fashion decompressed--going from overworked to understated. Maybe it's the economic crisis, but less is more these days. And the best expression so far of this desire for less--less ornament, less texture, less stuff--came in Raf Simons' spare and focused collection for Jil Sander. The first part of the show was a tribute to Sander herself. Simons revisited some of Sander's simplest and most enduring shapes and fabrics, including a collarless vicuna coat, sleek stovepipe navy pants and a pristine white double-face cashmere overcoat. Most of the pieces were in luxurious cashmere, the surface brushed to give it a sheen. The pared-down silhouette was accented by bright orange or red pointy shoes. The message was clear: if you're going to invest in one piece of luxury clothing next season, buy it here. The second half of the show was an homage to the work of French ceramacist, Pol Chambost, whose use of contours and colors inspired the clothes. Fabrics like starched wool and scuba jersey were sculpted into egg-shaped jackets and black or gray or orange dresses with peplums that opened up like calla lilies to reveal a contrasting color inside. It was beautifully executed.