Rodolfo Paglialunga, Jil Sander’s creative director, was on hand during the Pre-Fall presentation. He was calm and chatty, totally unfazed by the swirling rumors about a change of guard at the house, and eager to draw attention to his work on the collection. “I wanted to soften the shapes, volumes are loose, embracing the body instead of defining the silhouette in an obvious way,” he explained.
Highlighted by a strict palette of white and black, with occasional flashes of gray, rust, and bordeaux, the collection’s lines were stark. “Sometimes the term ‘minimalism’ is misused,” said Paglialunga. “For me, true minimalism is when shapes are virtually archetypal: the rectangle, the triangle, the square.” Case in point was a voluminous black double cashmere coat cut in a large rectangle, with a detachable scarf that could be adjusted around the body to dramatic effect. Despite the rigorous allure, it looked sumptuous. It also had a whiff of Zoran’s ’90s oversize style, which could also be traced in an ample black overcoat, slightly egg-shaped, with knitted shirt sleeves. Elsewhere, hybrids including a tunic/gilet had an elongated, slim silhouette; worn with a crisp white poplin shirt over slouchy high-waisted pants, it looked modern and chic. A play on geometric cuts was in evidence throughout the lineup, yet Paglialunga was able to give flexibility and suppleness to neat, almost androgynous shapes, working on layering, juxtapositions, and asymmetries.
Knitwear added a touch of sensuality, as in a long belted tunic worn with slinky, narrow pants. The house signature masculine tailoring turned up in a series of city coats; a notable example was an oversize overcoat made in a luxurious mix of mohair and wool.
