Uniqlo is no stranger to a stellar collaboration.
From JW Anderson and Keith Haring to Sesame Street and McDonald's, clever collabs have been the foundation of the high-street retailer’s strategy since its formation in 1984.
But none of its partnerships have excited the fashion crowd more than ‘+J’ with the doyenne of pared-back minimalism, Jil Sander.
And now, just over a decade after the inaugural collection, ‘+J’ is back and, frankly, it’s better than ever.
It launches today (Thursday 12, November) and comprises 32 pieces for women, 25 pieces for men, and four unisex accessories (hello, cashmere scarves), all of which are crafted in a minimalist’s dream palette of black, navy, and neutrals.
The stand-out pieces from the collection are the oversized poplin cotton shirts (£34.90, shop them here), the sturdy cashmere knits (£89.90, shop them here), and the hooded duvet coat (£109.90, shop it here.)
“I set out to define the global modern uniform with this in mind: Clothes should be long lasting and enduring," says Sander, who is often referred to as ‘The Queen of Less’. "They should serve the wearer and give her or him the energy and self assurance which is so much needed in our global reality.”
German-born Sander founded her eponymous label in 1968, after working as a fashion editor at German magazine Petra. In 1999, when Prada bought a 75 per cent stake in her brand, Sander assumed the role of creative director, before announcing the launch of her own independent fashion consultancy in 2009, whose first client was Uniqlo.
The '+J’ collaboration ran for three years until 2011, before it launched a lauded one-off best-of collection in 2014.
Prices range from £15 to £299, shop the collection here.
