What exactly is power dressing? The answer seems to evolve every few years, with some interpretations hitting the mark more convincingly than others.
This Wednesday in Milan, Simone Bellotti, Jil Sander’s new creative director, offered a fresh perspective that was both compelling and confidently executed.
It was, after all, Jil Sander herself who pioneered a minimalist approach to power dressing in the late 1990s, moving beyond exaggerated shoulders and ostentatious gold buttons to embrace understated elegance.
Her impeccably tailored suits, coats, and sweaters became a subtle badge of honor for women in executive roles. Sander’s genius lay in stripping away the superfluous, emphasizing that the inherent quality of a garment — and the wearer — was powerful enough. Her designs championed clear thinking and meticulous detail, often appearing deceptively simple at first glance. They were, in essence, the fashion world’s quiet rebellion.
However, since Ms. Sander’s departure from high fashion in 2013, this distinctive subtlety has largely vanished from the runways. While a few designers, like Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen of The Row and Phoebe Philo, have championed a similar understated aesthetic, the confidence of ‘less is more’ has often been overshadowed by a desire for instant impact—garments loud enough to demand attention on a smartphone screen.
That is, until Mr. Bellotti, formerly of Bally, stepped in with a debut that brought the house back to its roots. Given the current revival of all things ’90s, this return to Jil Sander’s foundational principles feels perfectly timed.
Bellotti marked this revival by returning the brand to its origins: the pristine, light-filled headquarters overlooking Milan’s historic Castello Sforzesco. Further emphasizing the connection to the brand’s heritage, he enlisted Guinevere Van Seenus, the iconic American model who defined the Sander aesthetic in a memorable 1996 ad campaign, to open his inaugural show.
His collection itself felt like a ‘digital detox’ for fashion — presenting garments that exuded quiet control and efficiency, punctuated by subtle, idiosyncratic details visible upon closer inspection.
In today’s influencer-driven landscape, a deliberate refusal of overt embellishment is a powerful statement.
Bellotti began with a distinct silhouette – small shoulders and a slim profile – then subtly subverted it through altered proportions, skewed perspectives, and unexpected footwear choices.
Single-breasted car coats featured downsized, foreshortened lapels, almost resembling Peter Pan collars that had been playfully reinterpreted. Sleek, three-button pantsuits were crafted from a soft crepe, giving them a pajama-like fluidity. Buttons were placed higher, nearer the breastbone, and back vents were cut daringly high, revealing a glimpse of the spine – a confident detail for both men and women.
Imagine crew neck sweaters in vibrant red and blue, deliberately appearing shrunk, layered over snug ribbed polo knits in contrasting hues. These acted almost as a subtle corset, bridging the gap between sweater and trousers. A standout piece was a sleeveless shift dress in luxurious grape double-face leather – a truly decadent notion – featuring an unexpected origami-like crease running down its center.
Even more daringly, demure pencil skirts were diagonally slashed from below the knee to the thigh, offering a tantalizing glimpse. Similarly, waistbands were subtly detached by a mere centimeter at each hip from otherwise conservative trousers, creating a playful peekaboo effect.
Not a single bugle bead or frill was to be found. Instead, a simple shift dress featured multiple strips of chiffon meticulously sewn one on top of the other, artfully mimicking a stack of paper viewed from the side. As the model moved, the edges subtly undulated, shifting colors – an exquisitely analog form of embellishment.
These looks were completed with footwear ranging from supple leather Wallabee-inspired shoes to kitten-heel lace-ups polished to a near-metallic gleam, their toes playfully upturned like the front of a vintage racecar. Or perhaps a subtle, vestigial horn.
Perfect, you know, for making an elegant exit, or perhaps, for kicking some serious… whatever, in real life.