What exactly defines ‘power dressing’? The answer seems to shift with every new season, with some interpretations hitting the mark more effectively than others.
This Wednesday in Milan, Simone Bellotti, Jil Sander’s newly appointed creative director, offered a compelling and confident vision for what ‘power dressing’ means now.
It’s worth remembering that Jil Sander herself pioneered the modern concept of power dressing in the late 1990s. She transformed it from a look defined by oversized shoulders and flashy gold buttons into an emblem of minimalist chic.
Her impeccably tailored, unembellished suits, coats, and sweaters became a subtle signal among high-powered women. Sander’s signature was to strip away all unnecessary elements, implying that the true essence of the garment—and its wearer—was more than sufficient. Her designs championed clear thinking and the impact of understated details, often appearing deceptively simple from a distance. They offered a sartorial counterpoint to overstatement, appealing to both men and women alike.
However, since Ms. Sander’s departure from the high fashion scene in 2013, this distinct sensibility has largely faded from the runways. While some designers, like Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen of The Row and Phoebe Philo, have championed similar subtlety, the quiet confidence of ‘less is more’ has often been overshadowed by flamboyant designs engineered to capture instant attention on a smartphone screen.
That is, until Mr. Bellotti, previously with Bally, stepped up for his debut, bringing the brand back to its iconic roots. With the 90s making a comeback in so many other areas, it was high time this sophisticated approach to fashion resurfaced.
Bellotti orchestrated this comeback by returning the brand to its origins: the luminous, white-walled headquarters that offer views of the historic Castello Sforzesco. He further emphasized this nostalgic nod by having American model Guinevere Van Seenus, who famously fronted a Jil Sander campaign in 1996, open the show.
His collection itself felt like a ‘digital detox’ for fashion – pieces that radiated quiet control and efficiency, yet revealed a subtle eccentricity upon closer inspection.
In today’s influencer-driven world, a deliberate rejection of overt decoration is a powerful statement in itself.
Bellotti began with a signature silhouette – small shoulders and a slim line – then subtly subverted it. He played with proportions, skewed perspectives, and added playfully eccentric footwear.
Single-breasted car coats featured downsized, foreshortened lapels that looked like Peter Pan collars after a rough wash. Impeccable three-button pantsuits, crafted from soft crepe, felt as comfortable as pajamas. Their buttons were positioned higher, closer to the breastbone, and a daring vent in the back revealed a hint of spine – a design choice for both men and women.
Shrunken-looking crew neck sweaters in vibrant reds and blues were artfully layered over form-fitting ribbed polo knits in contrasting shades, creating a corset-like effect between the sweater hem and trousers. A luxurious sleeveless shift dress, crafted from grape double-face leather, featured an elegant origami-like crease down its center.
More boldly, demure pencil skirts were diagonally slashed from below the knee to the thigh, offering intriguing glimpses. Similarly, waistbands on otherwise conservative pant legs were subtly detached by a mere centimeter at each hip, inviting a playful peekaboo effect.
Not a single bugle bead or frill was present. Instead, a simple shift dress was adorned with multiple strips of chiffon, layered one over another to cleverly resemble a stack of paper seen from its edge. As the model moved, these layers seemed to undulate, shifting colors in a strikingly analog form of embellishment.
These looks were completed with supple, Wallabee-style leather shoes and kitten-heel lace-ups. The latter, polished to a near-metallic gleam, featured toes that curled upward, reminiscent of a vintage racecar or a subtle, almost vestigial horn.
Perfect, perhaps, for making an elegant exit, or quite literally, kicking off some ‘whatever’ in real life.