Daria Stroukos—this week’s top model—hits the catwalk at Jil Sander Spring 2013. All photos courtesy of ImaxTree.com

To say that expectations were high for today’s
Jil Sander show is like saying that Anna Dello Russo has a bit of a thing for fashion. Today marked the designer’s first womenswear collection since leaving her namesake line in 2000.  (Raf Simons, the previous Jil Sander designer, earned a standing ovation for his Fall 2012 finale collection before being named head designer at Dior. So. That ups the game a bit.) Before today’s show, tensions were running high outside the venue as the crowd became a crush and security refused to let anyone in—until the president of Milan Fashion Week intervened. It was amazing. He spoke like an auctioneer, gesticulated like Celine Dion, and finally, defiantly, released the flimsy plastic barrier holding the crowds back and indicated that everyone should head in. (Previously, Paris
Vogue’s Emmanuelle Alt had expressed her displeasure at being made to wait in "don’t-you-know-who-I-am" terms. Didn’t work.) Once inside, we walked up two flights of stairs to an intimate, minimalist space with a specially constructed ceiling for the show. I started to feel nervous for the designer.  I needn’t have worried. The collection was beautiful. Minimalist, as expected, with impeccably tailoring (as expected), and a ’60s influence that is cropping up across the Spring 2013 collections. I’ve admired many shows since I’ve been in Milan, but this was the first one (so far) that made me feel emotional. A true fashion moment!
Click through for more of Laura’s favourite pics from the show…
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