What will happen to Jil Sander now?

In the past five years, many of OTB Group's investments have proven to be winning bets. Renzo Rosso bet on John Galliano when no one else would, winning; he bet on Glenn Martens for Diesel's explosive revival and now for Maison Margiela, winning again; he bet on Francesco Risso as Consuelo Castiglioni's successor at Marni, winning a third time; and he bet on Luke and Lucie Meier for the leadership of Jil Sander, who, after leading the brand since their debut show in front of the Generali Tower in September 2017, have now reached the end of their chapter with the brand. Rumors of their departure had been circulating since December, and yesterday, after their farewell show, the official announcement arrived. Soon, Jil Sander will have to welcome a new creative director (some rumors already mention Daniel Lee) who will navigate the brand through its next phase. As early as 2022, Renzo Rosso had expressed his intention to transform Jil Sander into «the most luxurious Italian brand. There isn't a single square meter of leather it uses that costs less than $100» and to achieve this, it was not only necessary to mark a sort of break in the brand's trajectory but also to support this market elevation with a nomination capable of galvanizing attention around the brand. Three weeks ago, Serge Brunschwig, former CEO of Fendi, took operational control of the brand, signaling an upcoming shift in pace and strategy – and expectations for the future include, presumably, not so much a major evolution in the brand’s already excellent offering but in its perception.

«We are betting on Jil Sander», OTB CEO Ubaldo Minelli told MFF in mid-February. «We strongly believe in this brand. Since its acquisition in April 2021, we have invested over 70 million euros». Of course, in the same interview, Minelli denied that the Meiers were leaving, and while denying such rumors is standard practice for executives, it is impossible not to read between the lines of the various statements made about the brand over the years the ambitions that OTB has for it: to transform it into Renzo Rosso’s answer to Bottega Veneta and Hermès. To achieve this, a heavyweight like Brunschwig was needed, a veteran of LVMH who had served under the Arnaults since as far back as 1995 and who will now bring his experience to Jil Sander – which will surely mean, on one hand, an increase in the brand's efforts in celebrity dressing and red carpets, following the wave already inaugurated by Prada and more recently by Brunello Cucinelli, who have started investing heavily in evening wear and custom outfits for celebrities. Additionally, it will involve creating the next iconic product for the brand, starting with the launch of a fragrance line and likely future work on jewelry. Under the creative direction of the Meiers, the brand has found new stability: if in the ’90s and until its acquisition by the Prada Group, founder Jil Sander had turned it into a massive success; during the era of multiple ownership changes, with the founder herself coming and going intermittently until her final departure in 2013, the brief period of Raf Simons, then that of Rodolfo Paglialunga, had made the brand's image appear more unstable. However, since the arrival of the Meiers, there has been a decisive solidification of the brand's identity, which then fully integrated into the structure of a true luxury group with OTB's acquisition in March 2021.

Now, when we talk about the brand’s “stability,” we are not merely referring to financial data but, as mentioned, to the perception and reception it receives. In this, OTB's investment has been highly fortunate because, despite being known for its minimalism, Jil Sander possesses an extremely malleable identity that retains its integrity even when minimalism is abandoned. In recent years, the Meiers had interpreted the brand's minimalism not as a reduction of design elements but as a pursuit of purity of form, incorporating numerous details and craftsmanship that were anything but basic or anonymous. However, this approach fit within the deeply versatile nature of a brand whose founder was not entirely opposed to ornamentation and decoration. The aesthetic and identity stability brought by the Meiers has contributed to making Jil Sander a brand that is not only loved but, most importantly, respected – a result that is far from guaranteed in today’s fashion world. Among industry insiders, particularly in Milan, Jil Sander is highly esteemed and present in the wardrobe of every fashion worker. The Meiers had a relatively light touch with the brand, whose aesthetic never became confused with that of its creative directors, unlike brands that, after the success of a certain direction, struggle to break free from its imprint – and this is thanks to the malleability we mentioned, which now makes a future creative transition, as well as an upmarket movement, not only possible but also conceivable. Many other brands do not share this privilege.

Beyond strengthening the licensing business, with the launch of fragrances and (this is our speculation) a further push in the eyewear category and various other products, the most important mission for the brand’s next creative director will be to create a new best-seller. Among all the many interesting initiatives by the Meiers, amidst carefully curated and excellent products and collaborations, the one missing piece in the brand’s mosaic is the classic “hero product,” the commercial flagship capable of becoming an instant and long-lasting icon. Typically, this product is a bag, but it could just as well be a shoe or a hyper-specific merchandise category, like mohair knitwear for Marni, or zip-up cardigans to a lesser extent for Maison Margiela. Clearly, the ambitions for Jil Sander’s future are vast – but uncertainty is nowhere to be found. As we said, Renzo Rosso is someone who wins his bets.