Who is Jil Sander? The invisibility of female-founded brands in fashion.
Have 20th century women-led brands been forgotten? PLUS we're adding a LIVE chat to the newsletter.
Jil.
Most likely, you’ve heard of the brand Jil Sander. If not, check out this video clip of Elsa Klench talking to Jil Sander in 1997 about her spring/summer collection + a great article in System Magazine including an illuminating interview with the designer.
Literally everything on the runway from the 90s (when she was at the helm), feels so current. The quintessential timelessness of a Jil Sander piece is something to strive for in the nomenclature of your closet: investing in pieces that will feel relevant in 25 years.
What I find fascinating is that I have known this brand for a VERY long time but I had little knowledge on exactly who Jil Sander is (here is her wikipedia), and even more, what she looked like and what her story was. Low and behold, she is another bad-ass, ruthlessly talented designer who built her brand from scratch starting in 1973 in front of her mothers sewing machine.
It took more than two decades to reach viability as a leading voice in the late 1990s. There is so much to be said for sticking to your core values, which for Jil, meant simplicity, clean lines, ease and of course, beauty. Core values that have inspired many female designers of the 20th century who understood what it meant to be a modern woman who wanted clothes that looked good, felt great, weren’t necessarily complicated but presented you as polished. Her clothes were not always about being sexy, or being seen, but something else that now seems commonplace, “quiet luxury”. Before the internet (or the editors?) termed this idea and it became synonymous with style, a handful of female designers in the US had laid the groundwork for quiet luxury and the triumph of late 90s minimalism. But why doesn’t the culture celebrate them the way we do the male designers of the 20th century?
Could it have been Jil’s time spent in New York in the early 70s where she worked as a fashion writer that inspired her to move back to Germany and open her namesake store? The precise moment at which American women were entering the workforce in droves, in need of simple yet sophisticated workwear at a decent price: enter Eileen Fisher, Anne Klein, Bonnie Cashin and Liz Claiborne.
Erasure.
This realization had me thinking about the literal erasure of women from the annals of history in various forms whether it be fashion, modern art, music, the list goes on. Of course designers like Martin Margiela actively worked at becoming invisible (if not enigmatic), which feels like a privilege. To be able to choose to be invisible and still make more than a living.
Think about the names of any 20th century female-led fashion brand whose name feels as familiar as Calvin Klein…and then try to conjure the faces or the stories of those women: Eileen Fisher, Liz Claiborne, Laura Ashley, Anne Klein. I rest my case. Tap the links above to read more on these amazing designers who were instrumental in dressing mid to late 20th century women in the workforce. Eileen Fisher is still leading the way today with her company being one of the earliest adopters of sustainable production practices including a recycling program for all her pieces back in 2009.
Iconic.
Here are a few Jil Sander pieces I found for you to snag right now, if all this chat about female-led brands has you itching to acquire something new-to-you. This Jil Sander black military-esque blazer is a total classic. I could see it worn a million ways. These lovely mint green cropped trousers would be amazing with big wooly brown sweater and knee high boots this season. Another absolutely timeless piece, this simple khaki trench is undeniably chic and SO 90s. Lastly, because I’m a sensible woman who has a lot of running around to do, here is the ideal flat shoe, a brogue. Or maybe these ballet flats or these mules. And of course we cannot forget sneakers, a la Jil Sander.
Let’s chat!
Today, I’m announcing a brand new addition to my Substack publication: Costume Rationale* subscriber chat!
This is a conversation space exclusively for subscribers—kind of like a group chat or live hangout. I’ll post questions and updates that come my way, and you can jump into the discussion.
What should we discuss? That’s totally up to you! It could be anything from what shoes do you wear with cropped pants, to asking the community for help sourcing a special vintage piece (I might be able to help!)
How to get started
Get the Substack app by clicking this link or the button below. New chat threads won’t be sent sent via email, so turn on push notifications so you don’t miss conversation as it happens. You can also access chat on the web.
Open the app and tap the Chat icon. It looks like two bubbles in the bottom bar, and you’ll see a row for my chat inside.
That’s it! Jump into my thread to say hi, and if you have any issues, check out Substack’s FAQ.
I’ll see you in the chat!
xo
Kym
Kym Chambers is the founder & curator of Chambers Vintage, an expertly curated vintage boutique in upstate New York.
Follow @chambersvintage or visit us online at chambersvintage.com
Love this piece, Kim! What a powerhouse and as much as I love the brand I had little knowledge of her background. Thank you for sharing this. And those ballet flats! 🙌🏻