Simone Bellotti
Creative director of Jil Sander since 2025
Simone Bellotti is an Italian designer who was appointed creative director of Jil Sander, part of the OTB group, in March 2025. He previously led design at Bally and spent nearly 16 years in Gucci's design team under Frida Giannini and Alessandro Michele.
| Role | Creative director of Jil Sander |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Jil Sander (OTB group) |
| Since | March 2025 |
| Born | 1978, Giussano, Italy |
| Previous roles | Gucci (2007 to 2022), Bally (2022 to 2025) |
Who is Simone Bellotti?
Simone Bellotti, born in Giussano, Italy, in 1978, is the creative director of Jil Sander. He is one of a group of experienced studio designers who stepped into the role of creative director during the wave of appointments that reshaped luxury fashion in 2024 and 2025.
Career
Bellotti held a senior design position at Dolce & Gabbana before joining Gucci in 2007. He remained at Gucci for nearly 16 years, working in Florence and Rome under the creative directors Frida Giannini and Alessandro Michele, a period in which the house went through one of the most significant aesthetic shifts in recent luxury history.
In October 2022 he joined the design team at the Swiss brand Bally. In May 2023, shortly after the departure of creative director Rhuigi Villaseñor, he was named design director. He presented four runway seasons for Bally before leaving in early 2025.
Jil Sander
On 10 March 2025 Jil Sander, owned by Renzo Rosso's OTB group, appointed Bellotti as creative director, succeeding Luke and Lucie Meier, who had led the brand since 2017. Rosso said Bellotti brought "extensive experience and a distinct talent" to the role. OTB announced the appointment "with immediate effect", and its brand page states that the Milan based house presents collections for women and men under his creative direction. His debut collection, for spring/summer 2026, was shown at the brand's Milan headquarters on 24 September 2025.
- Dolce & Gabbana: senior design role
- Gucci: 2007 to around 2022
- Bally: joined October 2022, design director from May 2023
- Jil Sander: creative director since March 2025
Influence on the fashion business
Jil Sander is one of the defining names of minimalist luxury, and the appointment of a long serving studio designer rather than a celebrity name reflects a broader pattern in the industry of entrusting brands to designers with deep product and craft experience. Within OTB, which also owns Maison Margiela, Marni and Diesel, Jil Sander plays an important role as the group's purist luxury label.
Why it matters
Bellotti's career shows the growing importance of senior studio designers, people who have spent years translating creative visions into products, as candidates for top creative roles. How he interprets Jil Sander's minimalist codes will be closely watched as a test of whether craft led continuity can revive a heritage brand in a demanding luxury market.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the creative director of Jil Sander?
Simone Bellotti was appointed creative director of Jil Sander in March 2025, succeeding Luke and Lucie Meier. His first collection, for spring/summer 2026, was shown in Milan in September 2025.
Where did Simone Bellotti work before Jil Sander?
He spent nearly 16 years at Gucci from 2007 and then joined Bally in 2022, becoming its design director in May 2023. Earlier in his career he held a senior design position at Dolce & Gabbana.