Jil Sander facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jil Sander
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| Born |
Heidemarie Jiline Sander
27 November 1943 Wesselburen
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| Other names | "Queen of Less" |
| Alma mater | UCLA |
| Occupation | Fashion designer, writer |
| Years active | 1966–present |
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Label(s)
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| Awards | Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany |
Heidemarie Jiline "Jil" Sander (born November 27, 1943) is a German fashion designer. She is known for her simple, clean, and elegant style, often called "minimalist." Jil Sander also started her own fashion company, Jil Sander.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Jil Sander was born in Wesselburen, Germany, on November 27, 1943.
She studied at the Krefeld School of Textiles. From 1963 to 1964, she was an exchange student at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). After her time at UCLA, she moved to New York City. There, she worked as a fashion writer for a magazine. When she was 21, Jil returned to Hamburg, Germany. She joined her siblings after her father passed away unexpectedly.
Her Fashion Career
Starting the Jil Sander Brand
Jil Sander started her own fashion company, Jil Sander, in Hamburg, Germany, in 1968. She began with her mother's sewing machine. Her very first collection was for a chemical company called Hoechst. She used their special Trevira fabric.
In 1973, she launched a collection under her own name. Her first fashion show at Paris Fashion Week in 1975 wasn't very successful. People were used to bright and bold designs, and her simple, minimalist style was new to them. But Jil didn't give up. She kept developing her unique style, inspired by modern buildings and the ideas of the Bauhaus art school.
Her company became very popular in the 1980s and 1990s. Stores in New York and London helped her designs become known around the world. By 1995, the Jil Sander company had sales of $114 million.
Working with Prada
In 1999, the Prada Group bought most of her company. Jil Sander stayed on as the main designer and became the chairwoman. But after only six months, in January 2000, Jil Sander suddenly left her roles. This happened because she had disagreements with Prada's CEO, Patrizio Bertelli. Many of her design and production team members also left after she did.
The Jil Sander brand faced financial challenges after she left. In May 2003, Jil Sander made a surprising return to her company. She came back as the head designer and a partner. She signed a six-year agreement and also received a share in the company.
However, in November 2004, Jil Sander decided to leave Prada for good. She resigned from her position again because of ongoing differences with Mr. Bertelli. Prada announced that their decision to end the partnership was friendly. Jil Sander then stepped away from her own brand. She continued to work on other projects, like with Uniqlo. She returned to her brand one more time in February 2012. This was shortly after the previous creative director, Raf Simons, left. Jil Sander left the brand again in October 2013.
Collaborating with Uniqlo
On March 17, 2009, Jil Sander announced she was starting her own fashion consulting business. Her first client was Fast Retailing of Japan, which owns the Uniqlo clothing brand. Jil Sander helped design collections for women and men called +J.
The first +J collection came out on October 1, 2009. It included about 40 pieces for men and 100 for women. These clothes, like coats, jackets, and T-shirts, had Jil Sander's simple style and calm colors. The +J line was very successful for three years. Jil Sander and Uniqlo decided not to continue their partnership after 2011. The last collection from this collaboration was for the Fall/Winter 2011 season.
The popular +J collection returned to Uniqlo stores and online in Fall/Winter 2014. It also came back for Spring/Summer 2015. These collections featured some of the best designs from their past work together. Jil Sander worked with Uniqlo again in the 2020 autumn-winter season.
In 2021, the Jil Sander brand became part of the Italian fashion company OTB Group.
Awards and Recognition
Jil Sander received the Bundesverdienstkreuz (Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany). This award recognized her great achievements in the fashion world.
In March 2013, The Guardian newspaper listed her as one of the fifty best-dressed people over 50. Jil Sander is often called the "Queen of Less" because of her simple and elegant designs.
See also
In Spanish: Jil Sander para niños
