Jil Sander has been an important brand to fashion insiders, ever since both Jil herself and the brand helped popularize clean lines and minimalism in reaction to the gaudy excess (we're looking at you Verscae) that had been so big in the nineties. After Jil abruptly left her namesake brand for the third time last October, people were watching closely to see what would come next for the head design position - enter the dramatically named Rodolfo Pagllalunga, who has to follow not just Jil but also legend-in-his-own-right Raf Simons in helming the Sander line.
The New York Times recently interviewed Paglialunga about the pressures of living up to the reputation of such an iconic brand and he had these quotes for them:
"It is Jil Sander. My intention is to respect the DNA of the brand but also because I have a lot of respect for Ms. Jil Sander. I could do something completely crazy but it’s not interesting. We have to develop the brand starting from the first point and starting from what Jil Sander did in the best time."
"Sometimes I was very comfortable, other days I was self- critical. Sometimes it’s a very difficult process, especially at the beginning. I’m very self-critical. "
"Each girl yesterday could be out on the street and feel comfortable with each of the looks. For me, that’s important. I work around chicness and sophistication, not so glamorous. A little bit understated."
"I feel very comfortable this season because I was actually very comfortable with the collection. I gave 100 percent. I was very happy because at a certain point I said what can I add to the collection to make it more interesting? And I say nothing. "
Purists or Raf Simons fans might be disappointed with his version of Jil Sander, but you can decide for yourself and check out the rest of the interview and also the full new collection here.
(via New York Times)
