Menswear Nerds, Rejoice: Simone Bellotti to Jil Sander Is Official

In just two years, the low-key Italian designer Simone Bellotti transformed Swiss heritage house Bally into what felt like everyone’s new favorite brand. Now comes the promotion. On Monday, Bellotti was appointed creative director of Jil Sander, making a long-rumored poaching official.

“Simone embarks on this journey with extensive experience and a distinct talent,” said Renzo Rosso, whose OTB Group acquired Jil Sander in 2021, in a press release. “Over the time spent together we shared the strategic vision and mission for Jil Sander, the values of innovation and sophistication that make it an iconic and unique brand.”

Bellotti added: “I am incredibly honored to join Jil Sander, a storied house that created a new aesthetic with its unique approach and strong identity, and that has always had such a significant influence on the design community. I am grateful to Renzo for the trust, and I am keen to contribute to the house’s full potential.”

The groundwork for Bellotti’s appointment went down last month at Milan Fashion Week, where Luke and Lucie Meier took their final bow for Jil Sander before their departure was announced hours later. The Meiers served as creative directors at the beloved minimalist brand for nearly eight years, where they united the label’s namesake restraint with a worldly opulence.

Later that week, Bellotti held a Bally runway show that underscored why the exquisitely stylish 46-year-old designer was in pole position when the job opened. Rather than chase trends or over-intellectualize, Bellotti is extremely good at crafting the shapely suits, cropped leather jackets, and sneakily alluring footwear that people want to wear today. As he told me before the show, “What I like is just trying to make good clothes with a point of view and a message.”

Bellotti is a Milan native and worked in the studios of Dolce & Gabbana and Bottega Veneta, among others, before putting in a 16-year stint at Gucci. He joined Bally in 2022 as design director and was promoted to the top job following Rhuigi Villaseñor’s departure the following year.

Bellotti starts at Jil Sander with immediate effect. The brand did not announce a timeline for his debut, but Bellotti’s many new fans will be eagerly waiting.