Performance. The word could create anxiety in many of us but for Simone Bellotti it telegraphs “an act of self expression on a stage.”
The stage for his Bally fall 2025 coed collection was a floor left bare in the Velasca Tower, a newly restored 1950s skyscraper, a view of Milan’s skyline below. The space helped enhance the designer’s stark and minimalist aesthetic — save for a supersized checkered motif in China blue, a floral pattern on a short dress and colorful sequined ballon skirts.
“The starting point of this collection was an exploration of routine — the repetition and order that shape our daily lives. Eventually we yearn to challenge this structure, to subvert it, to dream, and to escape into a world that is less precise and more instinctive,” read the show notes, which also mentioned Swiss artist Luciano Castelli and his works of “unrestrained self expression. This juxtaposition further deepens the dialogue between discipline and creativity, a core theme in Swiss culture and history.”
That might sound cryptic and, unfortunately, there was no opportunity to speak with Bellotti, which was a pity because his views on art and how they translate into his fashion always make for an interesting conversation. While the official reason for the closed backstage was that it was on a different, unreachable floor of the tower, the suspicion that this helped avoid questions about his future at the brand was strong. As reported, sources in Milan say the Gucci alum may be headed to Jil Sander now that the exit of Luke and Lucie Meier has been confirmed, and as Bally goes through some changes under a new owner.
In fact, while Bellotti again showed pleasing peplum tops and sculptural dresses and rigorously tailored suits filled with irreverent touches — for example, disrupting them with sprouts of pink or lime green shearling — the designs didn’t really evolve. Since his appointment in May 2023, Bellotti has created a precise silhouette for the brand, which has garnered positive editorial and commercial reviews. The sleek leather pea coats, the vintage-looking denim designs, the flouncy dresses and the terrific accessories were all still there for fall, but overall the collection lacked a certain oomph.
Here’s hoping that, whatever is next in the cards for Bellotti, he will be able to express his talent with gusto.
