Jil Sander announced the appointment of Simone Bellotti as creative director, according to a joint release with parent company OTB Group on Monday.
Bellotti succeeds the husband-and-wife design duo Lucie and Luke Meier, who announced their departure from the brand last month following their fall-winter 2025 runway show in Milan. The pair had been with Jil Sander since 2017.
“Simone embarks on this journey with extensive experience and a distinct talent,” Renzo Rosso, chairman of OTB Group, said in the 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.”
Before accepting his new role, Bellotti was design director at Bally. He joined that company in 2022, and was appointed to the top creative spot in May 2023. Prior to Bally, Bellotti worked at Kering-owned Gucci for 16 years in multiple roles including head of men’s ready-to-wear special projects, collection sportswear senior designer and senior menswear designer. He also served as a menswear designer at Dolce & Gabbana, Bottega Veneta and Gianfranco Ferré.
“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,” Bellotti said in the release. “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.
Meanwhile 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.
