Jil Sander for Uniqlo

>> After a three-year run with Uniqlo, Jil Sander's Fall 2011 +J collection will be her last, the company announced today in a release: "With the recent completion of the design of the . . . Fall and Winter collection, Ms. Sander and [Uniqlo] agreed that they had fully explored the possibilities of their creative collaboration and accomplished what they had set out to do. Consequently, the two parties have decided to wrap up their design consulting agreement with this collection."

Uniqlo has never disclosed revenue for the +J line, and although Sander is notoriously difficult to work with, her relations with the company seemed to be going well as recently as February. According to an interview dated Feb. 1 with Tadashi Yanai, CEO and founder of Uniqlo parent company Fast Retailing, Yanai said: “Jil’s attitude towards clothing creation is truly incredible. She is particularly masterful when it comes to garment shape and style. She will recreate and refresh her designs until she is completely satisfied — even when it comes to the minutest detail. That is why customers feel so satisfied with the fit of collection clothes the instant they try them on. Uniqlo must embrace this fundamental attitude, as well as the passion and attention to detail that Jil brings to creating clothes.”

A Fast Retailing spokesman confirmed today that the company's team of 100 designers “learned a lot” while working with Sander, including her famed attention to detail in selection of raw materials.

>> Jil Sander's Contract with Uniqlo Runs Three More Years —It was reported in April that Jil Sander, whose first collection dropped for Uniqlo last October, would be designing for the chain indefinitely. Now, it comes out that Sander's contractual obligations are shorter than forever — in April, she signed up for three more years with Uniqlo, bringing her to age 70. Sander currently takes trips to Tokyo almost every month, but hopes that she can develop her former showroom and in-town office in Hamburg to cut down on travel. Her upcoming Fall collection for the brand will go on sale in September and includes "a shapely ginger coat with pockets curving over the hips; or a stylish cornflower blue parka teamed with a blue coat — both set to retail at under €120, or $150," Suzy Menkes reports. [IHT]

>> Jil Sander Has Book in the Works —Last month, Uniqlo announced that Jil Sander would be designing for the company indefinitely, and the designer is currently working on her third +J collection for the brand, but she's also got another, independent project in the works. She wants to produce a book: “[It’s] going to be some kind of resume of my work in the past and the ideals that stand behind it.” [WWD]

Uniqlo previewed the second +J collection from Jil Sander yesterday in Tokyo, and the 120-piece lineup will go on sale today across Japan and other Asian countries. Much of the new designs were made of tech-satin blend and differ from Sander's first collection in the use of color—namely pale shades of blue, lilac, olive and ivory.

The new styles include a shiny stand collar women's coat ($165), basic blazers ($45), and classic menswear shirts ($108). The collection hits U.S. stores next March.

>> Jil Sander Going for Uniqlo Round Two —Neither Jil Sander nor Uniqlo ever spoke about the terms or length of their contract, but it sounds like Sander's +J collection will get a Spring edition.  Word is the Spring 2010 offerings will be expanded compared to the initial Fall 2009 collection, and Sander is currently in New York to photograph next season's campaign. [FWD]