Gallery
Jil Sander, Spring/Summer '08 (scroll down to read the review)
Jil Sander
Raf Simons, with universal acclaim for his work at Jil Sander established from almost day one, now seems settled and secure in his role, so has the confidence to push things a little more. Strong colour is always part of his vocabulary but this season it appeared brighter and fuller than ever, with ultra intense hues often combined.
The interaction was enhanced by layering, adding further richness to the effect, like fluorescent orange with dove blue. This layering, of transparent gauzy fabrics made for graphic effect, especially when layered, creating new shapes. Imagine squares of tulle, rotated, shifting the edges, giving opacity over the torso and fragile transparency at the edges.
Tailoring was strong: drain pipe pants, mixed with knits fashioned in the most matt of yarns and jackets with either the shoulders or bodice chopped off (who would have thought the bolero could look this good?).
Simons' dresses, also made of layers, often falling in handkerchief folds, were in specially developed silks, engineered to preserve the intense colour.