After showing her Spring 2014 collection in Milan last month, Jil Sander has announced that she will be leaving her namesake line for “personal reasons.”
This is the third time that the 70 year old designer, who is known for her tailored minimalist designs, has left the label she founded in 1968. In 1999, Sander sold a 75% stake in her label to Prada with the intention of working in cooperation with the new management. Due to differences with Prada’s CEO Patrizio Bertelli, Sander was replaced by Milan Vukmirovic, before returning to her position in 2003.
However, continuing conflicts with Bertelli resulted in Sander stepping down for the second time in 2004 as Raf Simmons took her place. Sander did not return until early 2012, when Simmons took his current position as the creative director of Dior.
The chief executive of the brand, Alessandro Cremonesi has stated, “On behalf of the group I want to thank Jil Sander for her remarkable contribution to the brand over this period,” explaining “Her outstanding design and creative leadership have been crucial in reinforcing the brand and positioning it to foster further prosperous growth.”
But with the Autumn 2014 collection left to an in house team, it could be difficult for the brand to maintain its success without strong creative direction to lead the design process. It’s possible that this may be the beginning of the end for the Jil Sander label.