Im doing what I thought I would never be doing: EmailingJil Sander.

There is of course a specific reason for the exchange.

Its as absolutely intentional and deliberate as anything else she has ever done in her long career.

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Jil Sander with her designs for JS.Thonet.

Both come with Viennese canework or leather upholstery.

(Consider how she elevated the white cotton poplin shirt into the stratosphere while always keeping it grounded.)

MH: How did this collaboration come about?

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Photo: Hartmut Nägele

JS: I was approached by Thonet with the project of re-interpreting Marcel Breuers cantilever.

I visited the Thonet manufactory in Frankenberg, Germany, and inspected the archives.

The manual work process was as impressive as the thorough understanding of quality choices.

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Photo: Hartmut Nägele

So, I agreed with enthusiasm to the collaboration.

What does Thonet mean to you?

Thonet is a resounding name in design history dating back to the Biedermeier movement.

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Photo: Hartmut Nägele

With Thonet comes a legacy of modernity and the pushing of frontiers.

I felt at home with my design aesthetics.

Did you already own any Thonet?

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Photo: Hartmut Nägele

If so, what?

I bought a set of the Thonet Bentwood Armchair 209 in my early youth.

What was the process like working with the company?

How long did it take?

There was no rush, it was an experiment.

My only prompt was that the overall form of Marcel Breuers cantilever couldnt be altered.

I knew right away that we would do away with the chrome frame.

We needed to reconstitute its classiness, subdue the shining elements, [and] choose new interesting materials.

How does designing clothing and designing furniture align, and how do they differ?

I see many affinities.

Success in both fields relies on quality and innovation.

As with the Breuer-update, I believe in continuity.

Since fashion and furniture are objects of practical use, you assure that they are durable and comfortable.

Most of all, you want to make them scintillating and attractive to our easily bored modern eyes.

What are your thoughts on that?

I like the idea of meaning in design.

I see no sense in simply designing something that differs from last years models.

Design should be a proposition that anchors us in the present moment.

I am a fan of all the pieces.

I will find a place for them.