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Jil Sander: Still in a Jam
By Godfrey Deeny
Photos by: Gruber-FWD
Milan, Sep 30, 2001/ FWD/ --- Few things better illustrate the changing fortunes in fashion or underline the
difficulties facing the Prada group right now than attending a collection by the house of Jil Sander.
Just two years ago, before Jil left the house she founded in an unhappy rage, attending a Sander runway show
was a magical event for the style elite, as the lady was, and is still, regarded as one of fashion’s most
important designers.
These days, however, a Sander show is more akin to a twice-yearly referendum on Patrizio Bertelli, the Prada
boss who clashed with Jil within a year of his group’s acquisition of Sander’s house. And Sunday night in Milan,
Bertelli lost the vote in a heavy defeat.
The problems at Sander also highlight the difficulties many of the brands the Prada Group bought in its
acquisition binge in the late ‘90s, leaving Bertelli's group with huge debts. Helmut Lang has cancelled his
Paris catwalk collection, while Church seems caught in a time warp.
There was plenty of sellable merchandise on display on the catwalk, but the magic of Sander is long gone, and
the difference in talent between the house’s current designer Milan Vukmirovic and Jil herself becomes more
painfully apparent.
Vukmirovic is not bereft of talent. His clean, feminine mono-color looks with hints of Masai tribeswomen and
“Out of Africa” made for a coherent collection. Moreover, the synergy with Prada has begun to bear fruit, with
a rich choice of really excellent sandals and high-heels with woven leather straps, all of which would look great
with lots of outfits.
The problem, however, is that the collection, and increasingly the label, lacks any real identity.
Then again, expecting Vukmirovic to match Sander’s unique eye and creativity was always a little unreal.
It’s a little like a sports agent signing a promising scratch handicap golfer and expecting him to be the next
Tiger Woods. It’s a nice idea. But, as we all know, things don’t work like that.
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