“Sage has many healing effects. It’s kind of a protective color,” Luke Meier said in a preview with WWD, hinting that the hue would play a key role in the Jil Sander collection he designed alongside his wife Lucie.
Guests who arrived in the not-so-timely pouring rain (now a Jil Sander fashion week tradition that contributed to the show's more than an hour delay) actually found shelter in an oval-shaped setting covered with a luxurious carpet of the same color. Cobalt blue horn speakers stood out as an art installation in the middle of the venue, tasked with amplifying young artist Mk.gee's live performance that accompanied the show.
But it was actually the couple's flair for texture and color sensitivity that spoke volumes, as the Meiers paraded sweeping, rounded silhouettes and tactile flourishes that challenged the austere image and sharp tailoring often associated with the brand. His search for an intimate and enveloping feeling resulted in unexpected eccentric outbursts.
The pieces were an invitation to reach out and run your hand through quilted velvet coats and fuzzy, reversible knitwear; sink it into the strips of cotton gauze that cover a cream-colored jacket and matching skirt; squeeze the exaggerated padding of leather coats that could have doubled as inflatable pool floats, or run your fingers through the extra-long silk fringes of a billowing cape.
Beautiful openwork crochet pieces offered an airy break from the rich textures, including chunky cable knits covered in a wispy, almost evanescent knit net for a fuzzy effect, as well as a generous dose of quilted garments. These ranged from capes and vests paired with double-faced wool tailoring to couture dresses that, with their enormous, sweeping proportions and electric blue or bright red hues, were hard to miss.
Focusing on monochromatic colors, the Meiers integrated other lovely hues into their palette, from chocolate and plum to pastel mint and pink, as seen in knit dresses with graphic hourglass silhouettes and rounded sleeves.
Chainmail fringe details added flair to some looks, running down the sides of pants or swinging on tank tops and the backs of coats. Meanwhile, a strapless silver column dress was ready to burst the Meiers' calming sage green bubble and take over the red carpet.
For more Milan Fashion Week reviews, click here.
