Out of her mind: Why Gilles Zander left Jil Sander
Yesterday, Gilles Zander left the brand name, proving that the third time is diamond: it is already clear that the designer is unlikely to return to Jil Sander or to the design as such. Wonderzine editor Lisa Kologreeva talks about whether designer’s care means that the era of minimalism has come to an end.
Let's start with the story. Gilles Zander leaves the name brand, founded back in 1968, for the third time. In 2000, she left because of a conflict with Patrizio Bertelli, husband of Miuccia Prada, who acquired Jil Sander a year earlier. In 2003 she returned - and two years later she left again, after which Raf Simons replaced her. The Belgian managed to revive the Italian House. At that time, the only business that his predecessor had the right to engage in was the creation of collections for the Japanese democratic brand Uniqlo. And in 2012 for Raf Simons there is a warm place - the post of creative director Dior. The Japanese Onward Holdings, who own Jil Sander at that time, decide not to take risks (although here's how to look) and again turn to Gilles Zander. And after three collections for a brand name, the designer leaves again - as reported by Business of Fashion magazine, “for personal reasons”.
If Zander is tired and just decided to relax, we understand her perfectly
What is behind this wording? Take at least the fact that Gilles Zander is almost 70 years old. Designers who are able to make eight collections a year at such a respectable age can be counted on the fingers of one hand: these are Giorgio Armani, Karl Lagerfeld and Roberto Cavalli, behind whom stand huge teams of designers. If Zander is tired and just decided to relax, we understand her perfectly. However, for the day that has passed since the announcement of the news, a new version has appeared. So, The New York Times columnist Kathy Khorin notes that the latest collection of Jil Sander was a disappointment for all fans of the brand, and sources among representatives of the House report that recently the designer has become too demanding and even asked to fit things to a slightly slouched figure. Perhaps it embarrassed the current business owners of the designer - and they asked her to leave.
Gilles Zander leaves the post at the beginning of the post-minimalist era, which is clearly designated by the latest collections of the same Raf Simons and Phoebe Faylo. Perhaps you should not be upset or surprised at her resignation: it’s better to remember what she taught two generations of women. For example, the fact that a shirt is just a shirt, and trousers are just trousers, and not an art object or thing for dancing under disco. Consider, in the 1990s, it had the same effect as Phoebe Failo with her return to Céline. We hope that in our century there will still be one Gilles Zander: someone has to remind you how to dress simply and elegantly.
THE PHOTO: CameraPress / Fotodom