For those unfamiliar with Jil Sander, the line twisting down Broadway towards Prince Street outside of Uniqlo was baffling. The latest in a series of designer collaborations with the Japanese casual wear chain, the +J line at Uniqlo has brought several consecutive days of excited queues since opening this past Thursday.

The minimalist collection of trousers, pencil skirts, button-downs, sweaters and outerwear was largely in keeping with the aesthetic of Uniqlo, often described as “the Japanese Gap,” with one notable exception: color. Although the affordably priced and egalitarian-minded line – its tagline on the Uniqlo website proclaims “Purity in design, beauty and comfort for all. Quality for the people” – brings Jil Sander’s typically high-priced high fashion to the masses, it retains her signature austerity.

In women’s wear, a basic wool peacoat goes for $99.50, wool trousers for $59.50, and basic long-sleeve shirts, button-downs, and oxfords for $39.50. Muted tones add depth to the black, white, and gray basics: a purple trench was moving quickly and a dull navy stuck out against the piles of neutral cashmere. Men’s offerings include skinny dark jeans for $49.50 and a cashmere cardigan for $149.50, as well as a number of slim-fitting oxfords and flannels. Puffy down coats in a shiny-looking synthetic material were popular in both sections, but stood out against the more conservative, tailored pieces. “It’s hard to find good, tailored menswear that’s not so expensive, so I’m here to look at the Jil Sander collection,” said David Howe, GSAS’10, who was browsing the menswear portion of the curtained-off +J section of the store.

A sales associate helping customers with their +J shopping said that the lines have been crazy since the collection launched and that the Soho store anticipates selling out by the middle of this upcoming week. “I haven’t tried it on myself, but the fit is apparently amazing. This quality and price point is hard to beat,” she said, noting that some pieces have already sold out. The coats in particular seemed to be going quickly, and a quick look at the racks turned up a dearth of size smalls, but the store is replenishing throughout the day and, based on the line’s sustained success, will reorder in the next two weeks.

Despite the popularity of +J so far, some customers seemed less enthused or even confused about the crowds. Not all of the shoppers waiting in the roughly 50-person line outside the store on a Sunday afternoon had heard of Jil Sander; many were just looking for Uniqlo’s trademark hipster basics. The +J collection has chic, high-quality offerings, but their simplicity and sobriety makes them more suitable for the office than for a classroom or party: worth the wait in line if you want an affordable way to look put-together for your internship in a law office this fall, but not the most youthful option for a college student’s wardrobe.

Uniqlo, 546 Broadway, New York, NY 10012