Jil, Diffused

Willy VandeperreA dress from the new Jil Sander Navy line.

Yesterday was a bit of a crazy day so I didn’t get a chance to talk about the new Jil Sander Navy line. There’s not much to say coach store coupons, really. It’s a minimalist line aiming for friendlier prices in a world saturated with them. The standout piece among those presented was the print scarf dress, and I liked the crisp look of the trench skirt and the flattering cut of the slim pants. The kelly-green trench dress was cute, too. Though I saw connections to the Jil Sander aesthetic, past and present, those design values can be found in many places—Uniqlo, Calvin Klein, Banana. Last year, I bought a Jil Sander pre-season draped-front dress in navy cotton jersey for about $590. I’ve gotten lots of mileage out it, and it’s probably less money than some of the Navy pieces. So what am I getting? We’re all making those kinds of decisions about clothes. Is a $200 pair of leggings or pants really worth it or will I trade up to something with a little more design? Will I stick with a trusty designer label and just buy less? Clearly a task before the team designing Navy—which is not Raf Simons’ team for the main Jil collections—is to create smart Coach Bracelets, useful pieces that are a skip ahead of the “lifestyle” miasma.

Willy Vandeperre Another piece from the Jil Sander Navy line.

Barneys had a cheery lunch yesterday for Iman to celebrate her CFDA award and, of course, for being a remarkable woman. As we sat down to a long table, about 25 of us—David Bowie, Pat Cleveland, Stephen Burrows, Desiree Gruber, Julie Gilhart, Daphne Guinness, Hamish Bowles women��s handbags, Teri Agins—Simon Doonan, the store’s creative director, trilled, “Welcome to the lingerie department.” The display staff had tented the place for bras and knickers with sheets of crumpled white paper. A new-economy approach to decorating, with sweet peas and peonies on the table.