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1990s
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Minimalism

Reduced decoration made proportion and material unusually visible. Sander and Lang helped define a varied 1990s language in which a spare appearance could still contain surprise.

Reduced ornamentClear, controlled silhouettesEmphasis on cut and material

About Minimalism

Minimalism lets cut, material and proportion carry the design, with reduced ornament and controlled silhouettes. Jil Sander and Helmut Lang were central to its 1990s prominence, alongside different approaches from Calvin Klein and Miuccia Prada. Lang’s spring 1998 opening look uses a long dark coat, loose trousers and a white top to make layering clear, while an unexpected fabric detail at the waist complicates its restraint. Minimalism could be sensuous or utilitarian; a spare surface did not require every designer to use the same construction. A related Galliera record documents Sander’s fall/winter 1994–95 black velvet dress, where a spiral chiffon inset makes transparency the principal decoration; the museum identifies its modesty lining as a later addition.

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The Museum at FIT: Fashion in the NinetiesFIT Fashion History Timeline: 1990–1999The Museum at FIT: Minimalism/MaximalismThe Museum at FIT: Trend-ology — Helmut Lang and 1990s minimalismVogue: Helmut Lang spring 1998Palais Galliera: Jil Sander evening dress, fall/winter 1994–95
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