Jil Sander was born in Germany in 1943. She came to the United States as an exchange student, and became a fashion writer for McCall's after graduation.
Sander also was a freestyle designer until showing her own first collection in 1973. She opened her own design house in 1978, and it became publicly traded in 1989.
Sander partnered with Prada in 1999, but the partnership was short-lived, and Sander resigned as head of her own firm.
Sander has been nicknamed The Queen of German Fashion. She favors expensive fabrics and simply cut, minimalist styling.