At Jil Sander SS23, shown in Milan, there was a sense  of ease, of lightness. It was a collection of smooth lines and elongated silhouettes in solid, deep colors. Sequins shimmered and slinked in sculptural forms in the pigment print of a vibrant cityscape under a night sky. It was an ingenious simplicity of cuts, shapes, and purpose.

California was taken as an ideal: as a modern, magnifying archetype of Western culture. A space of contrasts and fusions, glamor and pragmatism, hi-tech and oneiric, measured, and boundless.

Womenswear and menswear merged, fusing day and night, labor and entertainment, function and glamor. Quickness and confidence translated into raw cuts and edges running throughout the collection. Jackets were graphic – either collarless or with generous single point lapels. A long suit in crêpe sablé was worn over vibrant vulcanized sneakers. Short dresses came in chenille, or knitted with feathers, and seemed to be made by severing long gowns.

Hollywood glitz was contrasted by the pragmatic combination of tank tops and trousers and playfully reinvented and recontextualized.

Creative directors, Lucie and Luke Meier expanded their sartorial language by deconstructing women’s and men’s suits; replacing jackets with lean, round neck tank tops and diagonally slashed overlapping shirts. They were matched by kilts, shorts, and the signature pleated high-waisted trousers.

The color palette was bold, bright, and varied: white, cream, sand, powder, peach, pale blue and green, lilac, acid green, deep framboise and magenta. There were gradients of brown, gray, and yellows, from bleached to lemon. Black, gold, and silver. Fabrics and materials were just as varied, matt and shiny: cotton voile, soft cotton-linen, silk, crispy cotton-viscose, sharp and light wools, dimensional and delicate knitwear, overpainted suede, and goatskin.

Bags were constructed with simple forms in elaborate materials, with feathers and threads of paillettes and twisting golden and silver chain handles. The colorful vulcanized sneakers came in leather and canvas, and ready to wear fabrics that mirrored the garments. There was a pair of Chelsea boots that were decisively strong, while the high boots and sandals were all sculpturally rounded, underlining the lightness of the collection.

Everything had the subtlety of couture and the spark of invention, showing the dedication to rigorous design, craftsmanship, and the use of innovative materials and technique that have established Lucie and Luke Meier’s Jil Sander as an epitome of modern design and sophistication.

Discover more at jilsander.com @jilsander

Discover the exclusive backstage photos by photographer @Schohaja below.