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The crowd applauded three times over for Simone Bellotti’s debut at Jil Sander on Tuesday morning.
Jil Sander, who originally launched her eponymous brand in 1968, was a defining name in ’90s minimalism. But recent stewards of her brand have taken it in different directions, from Raf Simons’s couture-like geometric designs to Luke and Lucie Meier’s exploration of textures and shapes.
On first impression, Bellotti’s vision is aligned more readily with the founder’s, industry experts agreed after the designer’s Wednesday morning debut show. “It brought me back to the Jil from the ’90s,” said Francesca Ragazzi, head of editorial content at Vogue Italia, immediately after the show. “I love Simone’s sophistication, I loved the accessories, I thought he was very clear and light. I love all the shades of grey combined with bright colours.”
The show took place in a bright white space in the brand’s headquarters, next to Castello Sforzesco, in stark contrast to Bellotti’s predecessors, Luke and Lucie Meier’s dimly lit, club-vibe swansong. It was this white space that inspired Bellotti when he took the helm of the brand. “On the first day, they asked me to do a speech in the office, and I was so nervous, I didn’t even know what I was saying,” he said backstage post-show. “And I was in this space, which is super modern, light and white. I was looking outside at the massive, classic castle. And basically, I thought, the brand is this. It’s the combination of these elements that apparently are opposite, but I think speak the same language.”
In practice, this meant pared-back tailored dresses with cutaways at the breast to reveal an ornate, embellished bra; simple shirting and tailored skirts, slashed horizontally at the mid-thigh or the back and fitted pencil skirts with pointed pinches of fabric at the hips. While Sander often paired neutrals, black and white with a bold colour, Bellotti took this further, with a more vibrant colour palette.
While Jil Sander paved the way for minimalist labels, the brand now has stiff competition from the likes of The Row, Phoebe Philo, Celine and Khaite. But Bellotti’s quirky twists can set it apart from the pervasive quiet luxury trend.
OTB purchased Jil Sander from Japanese group Onward Holdings in March 2021. The Meiers joined the brand as creative directors in 2017 and remained in their roles after the sale, making Bellotti Rosso’s first Jil Sander creative director hire since acquiring the brand. In the most recent figures available, Sander reported a 17.3 per cent year-on-year sales increase in 2023. OTB Group did not break out sales figures by brand in 2024; group sales declined 3.1 per cent for the year.
The designer, who spent less than two years at the helm of Bally, will replace Luke and Lucie Meier at the OTB-owned brand.
After a creative reshuffle at the majority of his houses, including Maison Margiela and Marni, Rosso is keen for realness, balancing creativity and commerciality across his brands. “You can see the straight direction that I want to give to Jil Sander,” Rosso says. “We want it to be back to the real product. There is a lot of work with the design team, yes, with the product development team, but also with the artisans. This is how we are different from the other big groups; we may not have their resources, but we work with what we have, which is creativity.”
Among the press and buyers, there is a lot of goodwill around Bellotti, after his short but impactful turn as creative director of Bally, for four seasons from 2023-2025. Prior to Bally, he worked at Gucci for 16 years, first under Frida Giannini and then under Alessandro Michele.
Here’s what other industry insiders had to say:
I thought it was incredible, it felt very true to the brand but distinctly Simone in the gestures. I was most drawn to the details: the crisp lines, the layering, the odd seam to create volume. It’s been particularly hard to find great non-sneaker shoes, and we got shown so many options that felt desirable and practical. I think the footwear will resonate once it delivers to stores, immediately at the top of my wishlist for the season.
Nick Tran, head of buying and merchandising at Dover Street Market
I loved all the craftsmanship. I think it’s very beautiful work. You can tell he really worked on the collection. And we need artisanship like that. It was also very Jil!
Carla Sozzani, founder, 10 Corso Como and Fondazione Sozzani
It’s nice to feel this energy of newness in Milan. We want to bring creativity, push creativity further. So I think this is a nice reboot, very much in the roots of Jil Sander. I think that for sure the Jil Sander community will love this. There was so much of the ’90s, there was so much of the feeling of the original Jil that I think would be very appreciated by the brand’s community and followers.
[Consumers] are looking for authenticity and true stories. I believe it’s a time of true stories, because there is so much confusion around. We need true stories in fashion.
Carlo Capasa, president of Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana
This felt exactly like what Jil Sander should be — minimal without being dull, clean without feeling sterile, and refreshingly removed from the now-tired ‘quiet luxury’ trend. The collection felt confident, energetic and also fun. The cinched leather coats and cropped wool jumpers, especially, were a highlight for me.
Ted Stansfield, editor-in-chief of Dazed
It was absolutely beautiful. I love the designs. They’re very sexy and practical, but very fashion. I wish that I could wear this brand every day.
Chloe Cherry, actor
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