Who? Epitomising the philosophy of less is more, Jil Sander is one of the grand dames of fashion. Her purist approach to design - eschewing all superfluous details - has gained the German native a worldwide following of cerebral enthusiasts who favour her pared-down looks.
How did it happen? Born in Wesselburen, northern Germany, in 1943, Heidemarie Jiline Sander
studied textile engineering at the Krefeld School of Textiles in Germany before spending a year as an exchange student at the University of Los Angeles, California, from 1963 to 1964. After graduation, she became a fashion editor for McCalls' magazine in the United States and Petra in Germany. In 1968, she opened her first boutique in Hamburg, which carried an all-white collection of 'uniforms' designed for the chemical company Hoechst. Five years later, Sander's eponymous first collection hit the markets. By 1993, the designer had opened a flagship store in Paris and in 1996, Sander introduced her first menswear line. A pivotal moment came in 1999, when 75 per cent of Jil Sander AG was acquired by Patrizio Bertelli's Prada Group. Six months later, after showing only one collection under Prada's corporate umbrella, Sander resigned. Last year, Sander reconciled with Bertelli and returned to the helm, where her contract guarantees her complete creative autonomy.
What do the clothes look like? Sander's designs are often compared with the aesthetics of Bauhaus' architecture of the 1920s: a purity of line and form.
A passionate tailor, Sander is a detail fanatic. Sleeves must hang perfectly, and the roll of the lapel and placement of each buttonhole is scrutinised. Combined with luxurious fabrics, her clothes embody refined minimalism, often orchestrated in a black, white or earth-tone palette.
What does the designer have to say? 'I'm not so pure that I don't like opulence,' Sander says of her spring-summer 2005 collection.