Lately, I’ve been trying to build my wardrobe based on personal style not on any trend. I personally adore minimalist style. Therefore, I want to present my three most coveted high fashion brands. 

Firstly, Jil Sander. The founder of this fashion house, Jil Sander herself, once characterized her brand in a sentence: “One’s choice of fashion pieces is not related to age. However, if she loves mini skirts or high heels, she’s not gonna be fond of Jil Sander.” In the 70s, a period highlighting extreme diversity, almost like a laboratory of the new century, there was a cloud of possibilities in fashion. In contrast to the colorful, dizzying, and fancy fashion trends, Jil Sander launched a collection under her own brand name, which later was crowned by the press as “queen of minimalism.” Inspired by German Bauhaus architecture, Jil Sander aimed at bringing modernist functionality to her everyday designs. An American fashion designer, Lawrence Steele, once commented, “ Her clothes are the best. You can continuously wear the same piece of clothes from Jil Sander for ten years, and then pass it on to your daughter.” Jil Sander’s clothes stop us from shopping impulsively because no matter how much time has passed, we can still find a sense of classic and refinement in them. Dress less without losing elegance in one’s style is what Jil Sander keeps experimenting with. Although there have been a lot of changes of the house designers after Jil Sander retired, the clothes from Jil Sander always demonstrate the cleverness, confidence and grace innate to women. 

Secondly, Lemaire. The first time I was intrigued by Lemaire was watching their Fall 2020 show. In this seven minute and thirty-three seconds show, models, playing the roles of strangers, walked on random streets of a big city, made sidelong glances with each other, and distinct footsteps from their leather boots and scandals were echoing in that space. Some strode rushly, while others wandered aimlessly. Lemaire created an unpretentious live theater — these models were heading to work, school, a date, and they came across each other for a really brief moment. Another thing I really like about Lemaire is that there’s no gender restrictions or stereotypes in its designs. Women don’t have to wear clothes that accentuate their bodies or expose their skins. With a denim baggy sweater, a pair of knee-length jeans, and their IT croissant bag, a woman can dress as gender-neutral as she wants. A relaxed classic lies at the core of Lemaire’s designs. Crafted from fabrics selected for their quality and designed for everyday wear,  its collections are eminently modular—the supple silhouettes and soft color palette allow LEMAIRE outfits to be restyled and accented over time.

Lastly, The Row. When I saw Rose from Blackpink with its all black chunky top-handle bag, I was delighted to see that Chanel being every girl’s dream bag might not always be the case. The Row, named after Savile Row in London, was established in 2006 by Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen, two childhood actresses, focusing on exceptional fabrics, impeccable details, and precise tailoring. The origins of The Row was when Ashley Olsen started a personal project in 2005 to challenge herself to create a perfect T-shirt. By 2006, the sisters had created a 7-piece collection that included the T-shirt, a pair of cotton sateen leggings, and a cashmere wool tank dress. Barneys New York bought the entire first collection. The sisters aspired to create clothes for a variety of women coming from all body shapes and ages in an attempt to find a “commonality in fit and attitude.” The Row is renowned for its baggy outlines, which give its seemingly formal jackets and trousers a sense of fluidity. The power and masculinity of menswear are apparent in womenswear, which are what contemporary urban females are looking for.  One piece of clothes usually features only a single color, so it’s hard to find a model with more than three colors on his/her body in the show. The Row is committed to design elevated wardrobe staples, but that doesn’t mean they’re boring. Rather, The Row achieves the ultimate quiet luxury effortlessly and unpretentiously.

The commonality of these three is that the classics in their designs would never be eliminated by the pass of time. These brands make me reflect on the way I consume fashion products. I may not need a wardrobe of trendy items, but I hope it has a sufficient amount of refined essentials that fit into different stages of my life.