Lucie and Luke Meier are an ultimate fashion couple. The first one worked along Serge Ruffieux at Dior for a couple of season’s after Raf Simons’ sudden departure; the latter worked for Supreme and cofounded the menswear label OAMC. Now, they meet proffesionally under one roof – at Jil Sander, the empire of minimalism with German origin. Leading the brand with typically minimal, 90s-inspired aesthetic isn’t as easy as it sounds. Pure simplicity, that seems to be rooted in Jil Sander, isn’t a promise of succes: as Sander exited her label, nobody really came close enough to make it feel relevant (except Raf Simons) and really authentic. But that’s the perk of designing for a brand like Jil Sander – there’s only one master.

The new designers did two things that felt like their personal take on the brand. First, they presented their debut collection not in Jil Sander headquarters, but outdoors at soon-to-open mall with a view on Zaha Hadid-designed tower. A breath of fresh air, an eye-opening perspective. Second, it was their feminine sensivity that appeared throughout the entire show. The Meiers smartly noted that “a lot of the time, the first impression of her (Jil) is cold, sparse, and hard – what she did, was also feminine, light, and sensual; that was the approach for us.” Of course, the brand’s signature white crisp shirts were present, but they looked softer than usual. Romantic, white maxi-dresses swept the runway’s floor. Black coats weren’t that mournful. There was also some craftiness, that unfortunately felt quite inconsistent and unsynchronised with the rest. Still, those big chunky sweaters and knitted dresses looked good, even if they had not much to do with the brand’s founder and her style codes. Debuts are debuts – to get the full picture of Meiers’ Jil Sander, we’ve got to take some time.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.