• Intelligencer
  • The Cut
  • Vulture
  • The Strategist
  • Curbed
  • Grub Street
  • Subscribe to the Magazine Give a Gift Subscription Buy Back Issues Current Issue Contents
    Subscribe to New York Magazine
  • Subscribe
  • Profile
    Sign Out
The Cut
  • Style
  • Self
  • Culture
  • Power
Style
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Parties & Red Carpet
  • Fashion Shows
  • Cathy Horyn
  • The Cut Shop
Self
  • Health & Wellness
  • The State of the Uterus
  • Parenting
  • Advice
  • Sex & Relationships
  • Horoscopes
Culture
  • Books
  • Television
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Celebrity
Power
  • Politics
  • Work
  • Money
  • Rebecca Traister
More
  • Latest Stories
  • Video
  • About Us
  • nymag.com
  • New York Magazine
  • Intelligencer
  • Vulture
  • The Cut
  • The Strategist
  • Grub Street
  • Curbed
February 24, 2012

Raf Simons at Jil Sander: A Retrospective

By Charlotte Cowles

Share

  • Share
  • Tweet

When Raf Simons took over at Jil Sander seven years ago, he was merely a little-known Belgian menswear designer with no experience making clothes for women. He got the job because Prada S.p.A., then Jil Sander’s parent company, wanted to preserve the brand’s reputation for pared-down, sculptural suiting, its cash cow at the time. Prada recognized Simons’s suit-making abilities based on his eponymous menswear label (which he kept up throughout his tenure at Jil Sander), and hired him after the label’s founder made her (second) stormy departure in 2005. Simons quickly established himself as a worthy successor, turning out new shapes season after season without losing touch with the label’s spare, streamlined minimalism. Regardless of his next direction (!!!), Simons’s gorgeous body of work at Jil Sander will be a tough act to follow. Take a look at some of the greatest hits from all his womenswear collections (plus a few from his men’s, just for good measure) in our slideshow.

Related:
Confirmed: Raf Simons to Leave Jil Sander 
Jil Sander the Designer Returns to Jil Sander the Brand 
Jil Sander Confirms Jil Sander’s Return

View
1 / 15 Photos
Fall 2006 RTW At his first-ever womenswear show for Jil Sander — indeed, his first womenswear collection, period — Simons stayed true t... Fall 2006 RTW At his first-ever womenswear show for Jil Sander — indeed, his first womenswear collection, period — Simons stayed true to the label's signature minimalistic yet bold shapes. He also proved that he wasn't afraid to play with exaggerated volume. 
Spring 2007 RTW For his second womenswear collection, Simons busted out those billowing, brightly colored monochromatic dresses that everyone ass... Spring 2007 RTW For his second womenswear collection, Simons busted out those billowing, brightly colored monochromatic dresses that everyone associates with him today. "I wanted energy," he told journalists at the show.
Fall 2007 RTW This collection arguably cemented Simons's role as a major up-and-comer. Cathy Horyn wrote in her review for the Times, "On Tu... Fall 2007 RTW This collection arguably cemented Simons's role as a major up-and-comer. Cathy Horyn wrote in her review for the Times, "On Tuesday a little-known Belgian designer named Raf Simons had the full attention of the fashion world. Mr. Simons's collection for Jil Sander, his third since becoming creative director 18 months ago, was perfect. It will make everything else, I bet, seem a little contrived, a little clunky, a little silly." Tilda Swinton later wore this silver dress on the red carpet.
Spring 2008 RTW Simons introduced fun tulle detailing in this collection, but also: color-blocking! Little did we know how huge this would become.
Fall 2008 Menswear Simons was reportedly hired at Jil Sander because the label's trim, simple suits (for both men and women) were its biggest sel... Fall 2008 Menswear Simons was reportedly hired at Jil Sander because the label's trim, simple suits (for both men and women) were its biggest sellers, and Simons' aptitude for suit-making was evident from his eponymous menswear label. For Jil Sander menswear, he stuck to his spare, expert tailoring and played with cool graphic prints.
Fall 2008 RTW Jil Sander's original signature silhouettes included exaggerated cowl-necks and voluminous geometric shapes. Simons nailed both. ... Fall 2008 RTW Jil Sander's original signature silhouettes included exaggerated cowl-necks and voluminous geometric shapes. Simons nailed both.
Spring 2009 RTW This collection, full of cutouts and fringe, marked a slinky departure from the traditional Jil Sander aesthetic. Although it's n... Spring 2009 RTW This collection, full of cutouts and fringe, marked a slinky departure from the traditional Jil Sander aesthetic. Although it's not the kind of look Simons is known for, it shows that he's capable of branching out. He explained at the time, "Jil Sander must always be pure, and I'm aware of making any reference minimal, but I also want to show my freedom to be inspired by the moment."
Fall 2009 Menswear Simons remains one of the few menswear designers who make modern, innovative clothes — sculpted wool jackets with multico... Fall 2009 Menswear Simons remains one of the few menswear designers who make modern, innovative clothes — sculpted wool jackets with multicolored panels, for example — that don't cross the line into weird.
Fall 2009 RTW This season's big hit was the sculptural ruffle, rendered in graphic black and white.
Spring 2010 RTW Simons's edgy hip ruffles and tulle panels paved the way for Stella McCartney's wildly popular curvy cutouts and t... Spring 2010 RTW Simons's edgy hip ruffles and tulle panels paved the way for Stella McCartney's wildly popular curvy cutouts and today's peplum craze.
Fall 2010 RTW An underacclaimed aspect of Simons's womenswear is that even his most conceptual designs — this one-sleeved coat, for instance — we... Fall 2010 RTW An underacclaimed aspect of Simons's womenswear is that even his most conceptual designs — this one-sleeved coat, for instance — were sensible and comfortable. His collections never left anyone clutching their pearls about whether the models would make it safely down the catwalk.
Spring 2011 RTW This collection, arguably the apex of his career at Jil Sander, garnered gushing reviews and spawned hundreds of knockoff looks f... Spring 2011 RTW This collection, arguably the apex of his career at Jil Sander, garnered gushing reviews and spawned hundreds of knockoff looks from the Zaras of the world. It also kicked off two huge trends that are still going strong: color-blocking (seen also in his spring 2008 collection, among others) and peplum. “He’s the only one putting out new shapes,” said Emmanuelle Alt, then the fashion director at French Vogue.
Fall 2011 Menswear Okay, so this was basically a wintery menswear version of the spring 2011 women's collection, but no one was tired of those lo... Fall 2011 Menswear Okay, so this was basically a wintery menswear version of the spring 2011 women's collection, but no one was tired of those looks yet anyway.
Fall 2011 RTW A somber, more covered-up take on the voluminous shapes from the previous season, which everyone still loved.
Spring 2012 RTW Simons called his second-to-last collection "the last in my couture trilogy," presumably referring to what Horyn called... Spring 2012 RTW Simons called his second-to-last collection "the last in my couture trilogy," presumably referring to what Horyn called "the couture shapes that the designer [explored in the past two seasons]... the fixed waists, the loose-back jackets." Now that he's rumored for Dior, the couture connotations have an entirely different meaning.
1 / 15

Tags:

  • raf simons
  • prada spa
  • jil sander
  • slideshow
  • dior watch
  • dior
  • ins and outs
  • galliano
  • More

More Galleries

oscars 2023 Mar. 12, 2023
Oscars Red Carpet 2023: Every Look  Rihanna! Florence Pugh! Michelle Yeoh! They’re all here. 
celebrity Feb. 19, 2023
All the Best Looks From the 2023 BAFTAs Red Carpet  Florence Pugh, Barry Keoghan, and Angela Bassett brought color to the red carpet. 
grammys 2023 Feb. 5, 2023
Every Look From the 2023 Grammys Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Lizzo, Bad Bunny, Adele, Doja Cat, Jack Harlow, Mary J. Blige, Sam Smith, and more.
By Brooke LaMantia
Jan. 10, 2023
All the Looks From the 2023 Golden Globes  Sheryl Lee Ralph, Jenna Ortega, Jessica Chastain, Julia Garner, Jeremy Allen White, Angela Bassett, and more. 
parties! Sept. 23, 2022
Katie Holmes, Chloë Sevigny, and More of the Bestest Party Pics This Week  Chanel, Mejuri, and more celebrate. 
parties! Sept. 16, 2022
Doja Cat, Lil Nas X, and More of the Bestest Party Pics This Week  Fendi, Frame, and Coach all celebrated NYFW. 
emmys 2022 Sept. 12, 2022
Emmys 2022: All the Red Carpet Looks  Updating: What Hollywood is wearing to the 2022 Primetime Emmy Awards. 
By Olivia Luppino
nyfw spring 2023 Sept. 9, 2022
Gigi Hadid, Chlöe Bailey, and More of the Bestest Party Pics of the Week  Saks Fifth Avenue, Longchamp, and more celebrate the beginning of NYFW. 
rip Sept. 9, 2022
The Queen Sure Did Love to Color-Coordinate  Monochrome for decades. 
red carpet Sept. 6, 2022
The Venice Film Festival Is a Major Fashion Event  Valentino and Gucci and Armani, oh my. 
red carpet June 5, 2022
All the Best Looks at the 2022 MTV Movie and TV Awards  Sydney Sweeney, Vanessa Hudgens, Jay Ellis, and more! 
parties! May 20, 2022
The Bestest Party Looks of the Week  Harry Styles > everyone! 
parties! May 13, 2022
The Bestest Party Looks of the Week  Bury me in Dove Cameron’s Saint Sintra skirt. 
parties! May 6, 2022
The Bestest Party Looks of the Week  Cue the Met Gala after-party FOMO. 
met gala 2022 May 2, 2022
Met Gala 2022: All the Looks [Photos]  Billie Eilish, Kim Kardashian, Michelle Yeoh, Hailey Bieber, Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, Blake Lively, and more. 
parties! Apr. 29, 2022
The Bestest Party Looks of the Week  This one goes to Olivia Rodrigo and her sweater vest. 
parties! Apr. 22, 2022
The Bestest Party Looks of the Week  “Fuck those Zoom tops.” 
celebrity style Apr. 18, 2022
The Best Looks From Coachella 2022  From Harry Styles’s sparkling Gucci set to Megan Thee Stallion’s metallic bodysuit. 
style Apr. 13, 2022
A Look Inside the New Museum’s Spring Gala  Featuring all the best looks. 
grammys 2022 Apr. 3, 2022
Grammy Awards 2022 Red Carpet: All the Looks  Lady Gaga, Olivia Rodrigo, Lenny Kravitz, Lil Nas X, Billie Eilish, and more. 
  • Style
  • Self
  • Culture
  • Power
  • About The Cut
  • About New York Magazine
  • Newsletters
  • Help
  • Contact
  • Press
  • Media Kit
  • We’re Hiring
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Ad Choices
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Accessibility
The Cut is a Vox Media Network. © 2023 Vox Media, LLC. All rights reserved.