Using Hollywood as a design impetus is fairly common: the glitz, the glamor, what’s not to love? For their Spring/Summer 2023 collection, Jil Sander has expanded this paradigm, moving from the specifics of Hollywood to the broader state of California. This movement can seem inconsequential, but means multitudes for the collection itself. Fresh and striking, the collection reminds one of the free-spiritedness and fervor of the Golden State. 

The variety of this expanded lens, looking at the state of California as a whole, can be seen within the garments themselves. Some looks, like the plush peach minidress, scream Hollywood and luxury. Others, though, lean more into the grunge and naturalism of California. A burlap dress with hip cutouts, for example, speaks to the broader expanse of the state. These looks are seemingly so different, and yet find unity in their location of inspiration. 

Jil Sander also provides one of the most interesting menswear displays of the season, providing elegant and classic garments. Menswear often feels like a lot of the same, with endless button-down shirts, jackets, and fitted pants. This may be because we assume menswear to be so intrinsically separated from womenswear, and that menswear cannot espouse femininity. Jil Sander thinks differently.

With men’s skirts and jumpsuits, the collection pushes what it means to dress as a man in fashion. These looks, of course, have that California flair, but also have something that feels utterly unique. This collection is for the man with boldness, with a firm sense of who they are and where they stand. The looks are bolder, not in aggressive colors or gimmicks, but in asking what menswear can be. 

The Jil Sander collection on its face can seem a bit hodge-podge. I mean, what does a cloud-embroidered black tank have to do with a yellow fringe gown? But, when thought of as an ode to California, as a vision of the Golden State, the creative cohesion comes together. Once you understand the complexity of inspiration, you can look through the Jil Sander collection and see what’s even more important: the boundary-pushing innovation.