Jill Stuart- A Guide to Jill Stuart & Fashion

Jill Stuart has long had a respected name in fashion as a designer of high-end fashion with a decidedly girly bent.  She started as a designer of jewelry and handbags, known for bohemian and hippie influenced pieces.   These were carried by major department stores when Stuart was only 15 years old.

In 1993, the first Jill Stuart women's collection was premiered.   Early collections were filled with a profusion of ruffles, frills, flowers, flounces, and ultra feminine details.  As time passed, Stuart gravitated more toward socialite chic--eschewing the extremities of floral prints and flirtatious styles for more SoHo flair.

As of her 2006 runway show, Stuart was attempting to re-define her style yet again, adding more sophisticated elements reminiscent of Dior and London.  With more than a dash of goth, the silhouettes were elongated, and black abounded.   Still at least somewhat in touch with her roots, however, Stuart also drew heavily on the 1930s, with empire waist dresses and pretty blouses paired with equestrian-influenced pants and slit skirts.

Some of Jill Stuart's pieces combine the sophistication inherent to clean silhouettes with a touch of flowers or other feminine aspects to soften the appearance.  One black silk dress with floral ruffles features small, detailed flowers around the waist with larger flowers around the hem of the dress.  Another piece that combines aspects of Stuart's earlier work with her new style is a black silk skirt with patterns of gold sequins and silver beads intricately designed into the skirt.