Raphael Mendes photographs prints for the new collection by Jil Sander

The Brazilian designer and photographer Raphael Mendes shot an editorial featuring pieces from the Spring/Summer 2019 collection of Jil Sander.
 
Jil Sander was founded by the German designer of the same name in 1968. The brand was a pioneer of the minimalist trend and was a precursor to a refined aesthetic of clean lines, making it a powerhouse in the fashion world. Since then, many important names have passed through its creative direction, such as Raf Simons, as well as its management. The brand was once managed by the Prada group and has belonged to Onward Holdings Co. since 2008.
 
The latest collection from Jil Sander features symmetrical cuts and sober colors, common to the minimalist and sophisticated identity of the brand. Two models of men's shirts are the result of the collaboration between the brand and Raphael Mendes. Raphael is a designer and a photographer by experimentation. He currently resides in Montevideo, where he works with digital design at a Canadian studio. Individually, he develops personal projects in which he explores skills in other creative fields.
 
Raphael says he has been flirting with photography and design for about 10 years. After identifying with the aesthetic of analog photography, he found old cameras in his house and started photographing friends, but he never took the activity seriously from a professional standpoint.
 
In the past year, the designer has published various works on his Behance. It was through his portfolio on the network that the brand became interested in his work and sent an invitation to develop this collaboration. The essence was to portray, from his point of view, an emotional relationship.
 
The process involved freedom and experimentation on the part of the artist. He explains that there was no briefing. The guidance was to explore the atmosphere of his work within the theme. The selected models for the photos are two friends, the couple João Zanella and Bernardo Branco, and the photos were taken at a friend's house in São Paulo. “We photographed in the apartment where João had previously lived. We were all very comfortable. It was an ordinary day among friends, [and] the whole process was a lot of fun,” he says.
 
Raphael mentions that he was very pleased with the result. Along with design and photography, the artist has always had a special interest in fashion. “[in this project] I was able to work with photography in a way that wasn't so commercial, creating something essentially mine. The project itself was a great reminder of everything I want to do: work with photography and with other people who identify with that. Show my vision of the world and make people see something from another perspective or question themselves. Create curiosity in something. That’s what I try to convey in my work,” Raphael recounts.
 
Check out the photos of the Jil Sander pieces below: