Heidemarie Jiline 'Jil' Sander (born 27 November 1943) is a minimalist German fashion designer and the founder of the Jil Sander fashion house.

Sander's trademark look, a contemporary, somewhat austere, New Look – originally intended for women conquering executive positions in the 1980s – was that of a precisely cut pantsuit, a slim blouse and a form-fitting coat made of luxurious fabrics in plain grey, beige, blue, black or white. Jil Sander enjoyed almost cult-like followings for her fashions that could all be easily coordinated and have always ranged in the top price segment. For her single-minded focus on understated elegance, high-end materials and refined tailoring, Sander has been described as the Queen of Less, Cashmere-Queen, Master of Minimalism, Cool Blonde, Gentle-Jil or Fashion Reductionist.

Sander's eponymous fashion label still exists today but has been carried on without her involvement since 2004. In early 2009, Sander, after years of absence from the world of fashion, announced the creation of her own fashion consultancy, and her employment by Uniqlo of Japan.

Background

Jil Sander, born on 27 November 1943 in Wesselburen near Hamburg, Germany, grew up with her mother near Hamburg and later studied textile design in Krefeld from where she graduated as a textile engineer in 1963. Having spent two years as an exchange student at University College in Los Angeles, she worked as a fashion editor at German women's magazine Petra before opening her first boutique in a Hamburg suburb in 1967. She started out selling fashion designed by Thierry Mugler or Sonia Rykiel and also a few of her own designs. And, with few ups and downs, she founded her eponymous fashion house, Jil Sander GmbH in 1978.

Showing her collection in Paris in 1975 proved a complete failure, though. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, when the fashion world was dominated by lavish, colorful and glitzy Dynasty-style designs by the likes of Claude Montana with his broad-shouldered leather look, Jil Sander's minimalist collections, with a focus on fabric quality came close to a revolution in the fashion world and were not accepted next to the Parisian catwalks. Her style only started gaining attention in the 1990s.

Success and expansion

Since 1978, Sander marketed her first perfume prominently featuring her countenance. The owner of Lancaster Cosmetics allowed her financially to run ads in glamorous magazines on a large scale for her fashion. The fact that her creations were coordinates which could all be easily combined with each other became a popular characteristic. Sander created the so-called onion look (German: 'Zwiebel-Look') layering various pieces of clothing in one outfit. Later, licenses would be given for eyewear and leather accessory lines. In the 1980's, Sander's collections were first shown in Milan to tackle the international markets more efficiently. As a result, sales were steadily increasing. More fragrances were added to the cosmetics line. The label's luxurious minimalism was a hit in the later 1990's.

Jil Sander AG went public in 1989 and was sold to shareholders on the Frankfurt stock exchange among the first fashion houses to venture on such a step. Sander used the new capital to expand in Asia and North America. Her success overseas resulted in expensively furnished flagship stores in Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Taipei among a big number of others. Sander personally overlooked the design of her stores and strict guidelines were implemented for the sales staff on how to behave and where to stand in the boutiques. At the Paris store, opened in 1993, the Jil Sander collections could be shown on more than and four floors. The space at 52 Avenue Montaigne in Paris used to be French fashion designer Madeleine Vionnet's atelier and showroom, a designer whose work has influenced Sander's. In 1998 Jil Sander and German sportswear house Puma jointly launched a successful sneakers collection.

New ownership

Jil Sander's success continued into the mid-1990s. Her company survived the economic crisis in Asia. She found success with a newly launched men’s collection that had been postponed several times before in 1997 and was described as "precision-cut with an emphasis upon light fabrics." A desire with Sander to concentrate more on the creative design rather than the business, resulted in much praise and acclaim from the critics. Nevertheless, Jil needed a financially strong partner realizing that her company was steadily growning. Jil Sander AG was no longer a small privately owned business.

In 1999 Prada Group bought a 75% share in her company. Sander, remained creative designer and became chairwoman in the new joint venture. Six months later, in January 2000, Sander unexpectedly left after confrontations with Prada CEO Patrizio Bertelli, a quick-tempered Italian businessman. An uncompromising perfectionist, Sander had refused to use cheaper fabrics and to bring the traditionally slim fits in line with standard sizes, as demanded by Bertelli in the context of drastic cost cuts and a more affordable mainstream approach. Bertelli also insisted on giving up the contributary workshops in Germany in favor of the shops in Italy owned by Prada. Thus, for the first time in many years, Sander was able to indulge in extensive travelling, sailing, going to the opera and taking care of her gardens after her resignation but the fashion house floundered both creatively and financially without Sander.

Comeback and abandonment

Sander returned to the company as head designer and partner in a surprise decision in May 2003, after her noncompete clause had expired. Officially, Bertelli "approached Ms. Sander and began negotiating a truce". Ironically, Bertelli had, with regard to Sander's departure in 2000, boldly stated before: "A brand as strong as Jil Sander doesn't need to rely on the name of a designer". Sander's return was celebrated unanimously by the international press. Sander's designs, bearing the Jil Sander signature with a more feminine look, were a hit with both customers and critics. Designing two collections which were both showcased in Milan, Sander altered Prada-appointed designer Milan Vukmirovic’s existing sketches for the men’s collection, redesigned some of the boutiques and audited the books herself.

However, in November 2004, Sander terminated cooperation with Prada for good and resigned from her post again after insurmountable differences with Mr. Bertelli. Prada announced in an official statement that "the decision by Patrizio Bertelli [...] and Ms. Sander to end her involvement in the company was amicable." Sander subsequently withrew from the fashion world.

Uniqlo

On March 17, 2009 Sander announced the creation of her own fashion consultancy. The new company's first client will be Fast Retailing of Japan with its Uniqlo label for whom Sander is to oversee special upcoming womenswear and menswear collections. Sander's sub-label for Uniqlo will be named +J and "will consist of about 40 pieces for men and 100 for women, including coats, jackets, knitwear, T-shirts and accessories" to be presented in fall 2009.

Trivia

• Jil Sander was awarded the Bundesverdienstkreuz by the Federal Republic of Germany for her achievements in the fashion industry.

Pictures of Jil Sander