MILAN, Italy — Rodolfo Paglialunga's difficult tenure at Jil Sander has seen ebb and flow. Though, in his defense, the crusade to preserve and evolve Sander's legacy is and will always be a challenge. Particularly in 2017 — in a world where straight-up minimalism has been handed down from high fashion to the upper tiers of the high street.

That said, Paglialunga handled his latest crusade with a savvy exercise in warm colour and voluminous tailoring that finessed current trends for big shoulders and a nipped waist. From fawny cashmere rib sweater dresses and padded tobacco overcoats to double faced watermelon-coloured wool tunic tops, Paglialunga's soft hand was felt throughout the cocooning drape of the collection. Though skewing bulky at times, pieces gave models the luxurious air of corporate realness. They captured the veneer of modern power-dressing that a label like Jil Sander should continue to make its own.