USING ITS SHOW VENUE AS A NARRATIVE TOOL, JIL SANDER GAVE A PARIS CATHEDRAL AN EXTRATERRESTRIAL SPIN
Photo Jules Toulet Studio TM
18 feb 2022, for frame
Location
23 Av. George V, 75008 Paris, France
Design, Production
Brand
Jil Sander
Music
Site
American Cathedral of Paris
The spatial design and the venue of Jil Sander's AW22 menswear show reinforced the brand's minimalist heritage and the collection’s astrological references.
Key features
A gigantic balloon measuring over 10 m in diameter was the centrepiece of Jil Sander’s AW22 menswear show, which took place at the grand American Cathedral of Paris. It was an enormous Japanese-inspired rice paper lamp reminiscent of the The Museum of the Moon – a work by British installation artist Luke Jerram. Slightly off-axis, the installation gave the impression of an artificial moon glowing within in the 19th-century religious space, contrasting its romantic Gothic Revival architectural style. The warm light emanating from the spherical piece created a comfortable, indulgent atmosphere. Positioned in a circle, the chairs replicated the church's columns – models had to traverse the ring through the middle first, walking the rest of the show counter-clockwise.
Frame's take
Constructed in the late 19th century, the American Cathedral in Paris was designed by George Edmond Street, a leading Gothic Revival architect. Today, it's fully equipped to welcome visitors to its modernized campus, available for rent for different events like fashion shows and concerts – reflecting the church's openness and inclusion of the cultures, languages and communities surrounding it.
Back of the House is a company that uses venues as a storytelling tool in their sustainable approach to fashion-show production. Their choice of an outstanding example of 19th-century, eclectic site contrasted harmoniously with Jil Sander’s iconic minimalist aesthetic. And the glowing orbit highlighted every piece of Lucie and Luke Meier's collection, revealing their self-standing and exceptionally crafted qualities.