Simone Bellotti Named Creative Director of Jil Sander

Simone Bellotti is taking a new position at Jil Sander, whose creative director post was left vacant by the departure of Luke and Lucie Meier last month. Back in January, Jil Sander and its parent company OTB Group had reported that changes were expected to occur after Luke and Lucie Meier were bound to exit the brand after eight years.

Their departure was later confirmed earlier this years at the duo’s final Fall/Winter 2025 show for the brand in Milan. Before his appointment to Jil Sander, Bellotti was the creative director of Bally, having been named in May 2023 succeeding Rhuigi Villasenor.

Bellotti’s departure is the latest in a series of shakeups at Bally, Former CEO Nicolas Girotto left in October to lead Berluti. The Swiss luxury brand also has new owners as of last August, when its was acquired by Regent, a US-based investment form, from JAB, the investment arm of Germany’s Reimann family. Regent installed Ennio Fontana as Bally’s general manager in October following Girotto’s departure.

Prior to Bally, Bellotti worked at Kering-owned Gucci for 16 years in multiple roles. He also served as a menswear designer at Dolce & Gabbana, Bottega Veneta, and Gianfranco Ferré.

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

Bellotti’s statement upon joining the team at Jil Sander reads, “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.

Multiple creative director changes over the past year have kept an already challenged luxury sector in flux. Meanwhile, several designers are still seeking new roles while labels including Gucci have leaned on in-house design teams to create collections in the interim.

In the mean time at OTB, net sales for fiscal 2024 were down nearly 5% year over year. The company named a new CEO and chief strategy officer for Jil Sander last month, but does not report individual brand sales figures.