Bright hues, innovative evening wear and master tailoring are only a few highlights from Raf Simons groundbreaking spring/summer 2011 collection for Jil Sander. The show that, in one’s mind, solidified the Belgium designer, trained formally in furniture design, as a force to be reckoned with in women’s fashion. Simons was always considered a leader in the menswear industry, his namesake brand is often a goldmine for trend forecasting of seasons to come, but until spring 2011 his aesthetic was largely seen as paired down and austere in the stratosphere of womenswear. His colorful collection began as a thought provoking case study on maximalism and the traditional practice of haute couture, seen through the creative eyes of fashion’s favorite ‘minimalist’. The fourty-four look collection opened with eveningwear and evolved into a beautiful garden of patterns, tailoring, and couture techniques, all tied fluidly together through Simons’ heightened sense for color this season, à la the late and great Yves Saint Laurent. The designer had some fun with accessories, showing plenty of captivating bug-eyed sunglasses and plastic shopping bags as purses, one of fashion’s favorite handbags of late, similar styles have more recently been seen on the runways of Celine and Balenciaga. This powerful show was filled with standout looks that were perfectly curated on the runway and possibly even more powerful when broken apart. Bravo Raf!
![Jil sander ss 2011 muse board](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/o9yOPDZT446C2eQSsWACg/619de6923e6529cd796df1365841487a/Jil_Sander_SS_2011_Muse_Board.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
References
- 1
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Gisele Zelauy wearing Yves Saint Laurent
Harper's Bazaar, April 1990
![Harper s bazaar dutch april 1990 striking gisele zelauy](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/VP4oBnzZKMie44wWEkcIW/7e5d9fd1cec8ccb18915864f777822fe/Harper_s_Bazaar__Dutch__April_1990__Striking_Gisele_Zelauy.jpg)
Le Corbusier
Palace of Justice, 1952, Chandigarh, India
![Le corbusier palace of justice chandigarh india 1952](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/356sEpeilGa06cKgSqu2cq/9b2fc0ab2e96270914d0bec9e6c665f1/Le_Corbusier__Palace_of_Justice__Chandigarh__India__1952.jpg)
Kazimir Malevich
Suprematist Composition (blue rectangle over the red beam), 1916
![Kazimir malevich suprematist composition blue rectangle over the red beam 1916](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/2f92AnRSRig0Si40GYgeAE/f072fc9101db30bf421d8b73ef658d82/Kazimir_Malevich__Suprematist_Composition__blue_rectangle_over_the_red_beam___1916.jpg)
Kaj Franck for Nuutajarvi Notsjo
Tricolored Glass Goblet
Robert Mapplethorpe
Flowers
![5f3769b6c627eed7733b1c306505ebab](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/6QHmLHtm9iSkuuoQaugmqW/c0f7439e45da350e956dfa842821c433/5f3769b6c627eed7733b1c306505ebab.jpg)
Jacques André and Jean Prouvé
Garden Chair, 1936
![Jacques andre and jean prouve garden chair 1936](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/3M9zUOtJ1SUuCw4oas4I84/d2fc3ab87f7504f0b6af00303299b6f4/Jacques_Andre___and_Jean_Prouve___-_Garden_Chair_-_1936.jpg)
Charlotte Perriand
A ‘Mexique’ Cabinet, 1953
![Charlotte perriand a mexique cabinet circa 1953](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/1dd5AVzzIMUeMiGM4kecM0/ee09eaedf8f911319859915a135ea5f7/charlotte_perriand_A____MEXIQUE____CABINET__CIRCA_1953_.jpg)
Frank Stella
Firuzabad, 1970
![Frank stella firuzabad 1970](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/1ml30jiio0K20kocsKCgcc/07252bd55581004ed7552c31ab25c294/Frank_Stella__Firuzabad__1970.jpg)
Josef Albers
Homage to the Square, 1950
![Homage to the square 1950](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/4AOzK1hr7qW8I4sEWq2QA8/ad3d3a07c10000e00c876fed61c30226/homage-to-the-square-1950.jpg)
Josef Albers
Homage to the Square (soft spoke), 1969
![Josef albers homage to the square soft spoke 1969](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/exB6hfVhC08uuS4OQmcae/ddf43fbf4cc8972839b3d61eb61a9593/Josef_ALbers_Homage_to_the_square__soft_spoke__1969.jpg)
Josef Albers
Homage to the Square, Glow, 1966
![Josef albers homage to the square glow 1966](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/43OW8LGQOIOmkoOaemM2iq/d47adfc74b0df658b421d0974894dcea/Josef_Albers__Homage_to_the_Square__Glow__1966.jpg)
Kaj Franck for Nuutajarvi Notsjo
Tricolored Glass Goblets
Kaj Franck for Nuutajarvi Notsjo
Tricolored Glass Goblets
Robert Mapplethorpe
Flowers
![A1c1e0bcc36bb404712b8bcfe12651b1](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/3CKfmOCRccG2O84A8MEqYe/878194b6e4f0905f3c1f547615b897ff/a1c1e0bcc36bb404712b8bcfe12651b1.jpg)
René Prou
Chairs, 1932
![Rene prou chairs 1932](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/2xY1UL5sNSouQcIycMAoE4/0a121c80d9b026bcf25455a5c207ab95/Rene_Prou_Chairs__1932.png)
Hiroshi Sugimoto
Polarized Color Series, 2010
![S4](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/sYCzKx1SKWKKEQkK0eMky/f0a9cfc7800eb9d17e11a1c09d27d225/s4.jpg)
Hiroshi Sugimoto
Polarized Color Series, 2010
![S10](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/29htlmM6pu4y2ESYMS08q/1b97be66b7d714a72b64e1ddea5ed85b/s10.jpeg)
Hiroshi Sugimoto
Polarized Color Series, 2010
![Tumblr m53nmiu15i1r1w416o7 1280](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/dAg1duLtrU0QiyIeiY2Su/76cd43e993e4243dc228d9b826e7d3d4/tumblr_m53nmiU15i1r1w416o7_1280.jpg)
Yves Saint Laurent
Spring/Summer 1989 Couture
![Ysl ss 1989 couture](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/45pctMUzZKUa4MA8GmcoGg/b04990f6c93dec18f712fbbb91def4ea/YSL_SS_1989_Couture.jpg)
Adolf Loos
Villa Muller, 1930, Prague
![Villa muller adolf loos 1930](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/6XWxp86wc8eG8KaCaaiwM/230750de37407cd7f1705caedcc526fa/villa-muller-adolf-loos__1930.jpeg)
References
![Harper s bazaar dutch april 1990 striking gisele zelauy](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/VP4oBnzZKMie44wWEkcIW/7e5d9fd1cec8ccb18915864f777822fe/Harper_s_Bazaar__Dutch__April_1990__Striking_Gisele_Zelauy.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Gisele Zelauy wearing Yves Saint Laurent
Harper's Bazaar, April 1990
1 of 20
![Le corbusier palace of justice chandigarh india 1952](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/356sEpeilGa06cKgSqu2cq/9b2fc0ab2e96270914d0bec9e6c665f1/Le_Corbusier__Palace_of_Justice__Chandigarh__India__1952.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Le Corbusier
Palace of Justice, 1952, Chandigarh, India
2 of 20
![Kazimir malevich suprematist composition blue rectangle over the red beam 1916](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/2f92AnRSRig0Si40GYgeAE/f072fc9101db30bf421d8b73ef658d82/Kazimir_Malevich__Suprematist_Composition__blue_rectangle_over_the_red_beam___1916.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Kazimir Malevich
Suprematist Composition (blue rectangle over the red beam), 1916
3 of 20
Kaj Franck for Nuutajarvi Notsjo
Tricolored Glass Goblet
4 of 20
![5f3769b6c627eed7733b1c306505ebab](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/6QHmLHtm9iSkuuoQaugmqW/c0f7439e45da350e956dfa842821c433/5f3769b6c627eed7733b1c306505ebab.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Robert Mapplethorpe
Flowers
5 of 20
![Jacques andre and jean prouve garden chair 1936](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/3M9zUOtJ1SUuCw4oas4I84/d2fc3ab87f7504f0b6af00303299b6f4/Jacques_Andre___and_Jean_Prouve___-_Garden_Chair_-_1936.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Jacques André and Jean Prouvé
Garden Chair, 1936
6 of 20
![Charlotte perriand a mexique cabinet circa 1953](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/1dd5AVzzIMUeMiGM4kecM0/ee09eaedf8f911319859915a135ea5f7/charlotte_perriand_A____MEXIQUE____CABINET__CIRCA_1953_.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Charlotte Perriand
A ‘Mexique’ Cabinet, 1953
7 of 20
![Frank stella firuzabad 1970](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/1ml30jiio0K20kocsKCgcc/07252bd55581004ed7552c31ab25c294/Frank_Stella__Firuzabad__1970.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Frank Stella
Firuzabad, 1970
8 of 20
![Homage to the square 1950](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/4AOzK1hr7qW8I4sEWq2QA8/ad3d3a07c10000e00c876fed61c30226/homage-to-the-square-1950.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Josef Albers
Homage to the Square, 1950
9 of 20
![Josef albers homage to the square soft spoke 1969](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/exB6hfVhC08uuS4OQmcae/ddf43fbf4cc8972839b3d61eb61a9593/Josef_ALbers_Homage_to_the_square__soft_spoke__1969.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Josef Albers
Homage to the Square (soft spoke), 1969
10 of 20
![Josef albers homage to the square glow 1966](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/43OW8LGQOIOmkoOaemM2iq/d47adfc74b0df658b421d0974894dcea/Josef_Albers__Homage_to_the_Square__Glow__1966.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Josef Albers
Homage to the Square, Glow, 1966
11 of 20
Kaj Franck for Nuutajarvi Notsjo
Tricolored Glass Goblets
12 of 20
Kaj Franck for Nuutajarvi Notsjo
Tricolored Glass Goblets
13 of 20
![A1c1e0bcc36bb404712b8bcfe12651b1](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/3CKfmOCRccG2O84A8MEqYe/878194b6e4f0905f3c1f547615b897ff/a1c1e0bcc36bb404712b8bcfe12651b1.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Robert Mapplethorpe
Flowers
14 of 20
![Rene prou chairs 1932](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/2xY1UL5sNSouQcIycMAoE4/0a121c80d9b026bcf25455a5c207ab95/Rene_Prou_Chairs__1932.png?w=1000&q=70)
René Prou
Chairs, 1932
15 of 20
![S4](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/sYCzKx1SKWKKEQkK0eMky/f0a9cfc7800eb9d17e11a1c09d27d225/s4.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Hiroshi Sugimoto
Polarized Color Series, 2010
16 of 20
![S10](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/29htlmM6pu4y2ESYMS08q/1b97be66b7d714a72b64e1ddea5ed85b/s10.jpeg?w=1000&q=70)
Hiroshi Sugimoto
Polarized Color Series, 2010
17 of 20
![Tumblr m53nmiu15i1r1w416o7 1280](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/dAg1duLtrU0QiyIeiY2Su/76cd43e993e4243dc228d9b826e7d3d4/tumblr_m53nmiU15i1r1w416o7_1280.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Hiroshi Sugimoto
Polarized Color Series, 2010
18 of 20
![Ysl ss 1989 couture](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/45pctMUzZKUa4MA8GmcoGg/b04990f6c93dec18f712fbbb91def4ea/YSL_SS_1989_Couture.jpg?w=1000&q=70)
Yves Saint Laurent
Spring/Summer 1989 Couture
19 of 20
![Villa muller adolf loos 1930](http://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/6XWxp86wc8eG8KaCaaiwM/230750de37407cd7f1705caedcc526fa/villa-muller-adolf-loos__1930.jpeg?w=1000&q=70)