Jil Sander is a German fashion label founded by designer Jil Sander. Sander opened her first Hamburg store in 1968 aged 24. After designing for her boutique for five years, in 1973, Sander launched her women's ready-to-wear line in Milan. Her minimalist sensibilities eventually won out, and the apparel label went public in 1989; the Prada Group bought a stake in the company in 1999. Sander has since popped out of the brand, but successive creative directors Raf Simons and Luke and Lucie Meier have kept the minimalist apparel brand at the forefront of fashion in her stead.