Via an encounter with the Godfather of techno and all round musical pioneer Jeff Mills on a trip to the Northern UK city of Manchester, Lucie and Luke Meier, the creative forces behind Jil Sander, present an emotive, exciting campaign for their Fall/Winter 23 collection. 

Ever looking forward, the pair adopt an anti-nostalgia approach, somewhat in opposition to the at-times dismal rhetoric employed to discuss the current state of affairs in 2023. 

Theirs is a bold statement of innovation, exchange, and individual expression. Transcending borders of gender, temporality, geography and disciplines. A campaign that both excites and provokes, expertly shot to clash the vibrant colors of the collection, against the industrial gray backdrop of the city, a city long celebrated for its pioneering musical and creative forces much like the campaigns subject, Mills who was known for boundary pushing and beat making at the turn of the millennium and whose decades long career is showing no signs of slowing down. 

“Every last decade of a century, our culture and our societies build up anticipation for the « crossing of time » condition of expecting a different world. One that intensifies right up to New Year’s Eve. Leading up to the year 2000 and across the board, everything was quickly evolving and changing. So we had the sense that « yes, I am going to be part of this new life », and music was also a lever in this moment. We were feeling compelled to create new sounds in preparation for that. At that time, we are just beginning to realize that with technology, we could be more spontaneous too – to add-in aspects of what we thought in those very moments. As I became interested in music, I was also really interested in fashion: And to understand those who specialize in the various ways people can appear with things to wear as well as think and imagine society and the direction of it.  As a musician, I can look at that, turn to music and think about the same type of topics: the shades, the colors, the textures and translate it into sound…even considering the « silence after sound ». Said Mills.

Creative Direction: Lucie and Luke Meier

Art Direction: Heiko Keinath

Photographer: Chris Rhodes

Film: Stephen Kidd

Styling: Poppy Kain

Casting: Julia Lange Casting

Talents: Jeff Mills – Kiki Willems – Dara Gueye

To discover more visit www.jilsander.com