Jil Sander
OTB Group · Germany
Jil Sander is a minimalist luxury fashion house founded in Hamburg in 1968 by German designer Jil Sander and now based in Milan. It has been owned by Renzo Rosso's OTB Group since 2021, after earlier periods under Prada, Change Capital Partners and Onward Holdings. Simone Bellotti has been creative director since March 2025.
| Founded | 1968, Hamburg |
|---|---|
| Founder | Jil Sander |
| Owner | OTB Group (since 2021) |
| Headquarters | Milan, Italy |
| Creative director | Simone Bellotti (since 2025) |
| Stores | Around 70 boutiques (OTB) |
| Website | jilsander.com |
What is Jil Sander?
Jil Sander is a luxury brand known for minimalism, precise cuts and high-quality materials. Its parent company OTB describes it as led by design, quality and functionality. The brand offers women's and men's ready-to-wear, shoes, bags and accessories and is headquartered in Milan, although its roots are German.
History
Jil Sander founded the company in Hamburg in 1968 and presented her first womenswear collection in 1973. Menswear followed in 1997. The company listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in 1989.
Ownership changed several times:
- 1999: Prada bought a 75% stake, later raised to 98%
- 2006: Change Capital Partners acquired the company from Prada
- 2008: Japan's Onward Holdings acquired the brand
- March 2021: OTB Group acquired 100%
Production moved from Germany to Italy in 2005. Luke and Lucie Meier led the design from 2017 to 2025, and Simone Bellotti, formerly head of design at Bally, was appointed creative director in March 2025.
Products and positioning
The brand is positioned as quiet luxury, with clean lines and little visible branding. Several categories are produced under licence: fragrances with Coty, eyewear with Marchon, and innerwear and beachwear with Albisetti. Footwear collaborations have included Puma and, in 2022, Birkenstock.
Business model and distribution
According to OTB, Jil Sander sells through around 70 boutiques worldwide, its own website and selected multi-brand retailers. Stores are concentrated in Europe, Asia and North America, including London, Paris, Milan, Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai and New York.
Why it matters
Jil Sander helped define minimalism as a luxury category, and its repeated changes of ownership make it a reference for how design-led houses are valued and repositioned. Under OTB it forms part of a portfolio that combines conceptual and commercial brands.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Jil Sander?
Jil Sander has been wholly owned by Italy's OTB Group since March 2021. Previous owners included Prada, Change Capital Partners and Japan's Onward Holdings.
Is Jil Sander a German brand?
Yes, Jil Sander was founded in Hamburg in 1968 by the German designer of the same name. Today the company is headquartered in Milan and its production is based in Italy.
