Jil Sander RTW Fall 2022

Aitor Rosas/WWD

With the power-dressing craze gripping Milan, the Jil Sander show offered a soothing reprieve.

In a venue reminiscent of an artist’s atelier, with plush curtains and replicas of ancient Greek statues scattered at the center, Lucie and Luke Meier explored a gentler kind of dressing based on their unique interpretation of tailoring and femininity. It was beautiful.

The Meiers chiseled couture-like silhouettes in double-breasted jackets and coats in wool and boucle fabrics. Instead of going for the big shoulders, they opted for a more obliging hourglass-y shape, which felt fresh, particularly as blazers with short skirts peeking out from underneath.

With the same sculptural approach, they etched sophisticated, curved volumes into the bell-like sleeves of coats, in charming short capes with button details on the shoulders, and in satin padded jackets cinched at the waist. Even quilted outerwear was elevated with a poetic touch by the designers’ expert hands, reworking it with balloon sleeves and printing it with hand-drawings of zodiac signs, reprising a flourish from their men’s collection paraded in Paris last month.

More feminine than usual, the lineup included short dresses with bows — stripped of their girly appeal thanks to the purity of their lines — and fluid frocks, either graciously draped or cut in elongated silhouettes with deep necklines. Contrasting surfaces, swinging from guipure lace to crafty and furry knits, added to the artisanal feel.

What stood out was the duo’s ability to inject dynamism in all these elements, as textures looked substantial but moved lightly. They covered bodies with softness and ultimately conveyed an effortless allure.

“It’s all about the elegance,” Lucie Meier said backstage. But it’s also about revealing how much strength there can be in delicacy. There’s no need to scream confidence to show it.