Jil Sander

Biography

Heidemarie Jiline "Jil" Sander (27 November 1943) is a German minimalist fashion designer and the founder of the Jil Sander fashion house.

In 1999, Prada Group bought a 75% share in her company. Sander remained a creative designer and became chairwoman in the new joint venture. Six months later, in January 2000, Sander unexpectedly resigned abruptly as chairwoman and shortly thereafter as chief designer after confrontations with Prada's CEO, Patrizio Bertelli.

Nearly all the design and production staff left after her departure. For 2001, the Jil Sander Group reported a net loss of $9.4 million, its first ever. The brand lost 26 million euros (about $30.4 million) in 2002 on flat sales, in part because of the costs of adding retail stores in London and New York.

On 17 March 2009, Sander announced the creation of her fashion consultancy.

The new company's first client was Fast Retailing of Japan with its Uniqlo label for whom Sander oversaw the design of womenswear and menswear collections called +J. The first collection for the 2009‍–‍10 autumn–winter season was launched worldwide on 1 October 2009 consisting of "about 40 pieces for men and 100 for women, including coats, jackets, knitwear, T-shirts and accessories" featuring the Minimalist aesthetic and demure colors typical of Jil Sander.

In 2021 the control of the Jil Sanders brand passes to the Italian fashion-holding OTB Group