Less than 24 hours into Milan Fashion Week, the Italian designer opens the doors to Jil Sander’s headquarters to present his sophomore collection at the helm of the German house – and, potentially, the best show of Milan’s AW26.
Ryan Murphy’s Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette is the show in everyone’s mouth right now. But not in Milan. Here, kicking off day two of the city’s Fashion Week, all eyes and conversations are fixed on Simone Bellotti’s sophomore collection for Jil Sander. And yet, the two subjects couldn’t feel more aligned. As the world swoons over CBK’s chic-to-the-core, sharp, minimalist style – so shaped by her Calvin Klein years in the 90s – we can’t help but think she would have adored Bellotti’s Jil Sander.
Naturally, exquisite tailoring swept the runway, that’s the German house’s bread and butter. But what Bellotti delivered today was a collection rich in the very thing that makes minimalism mouth-watering: cheeky, slightly off-kilter details that lift the simplistic out of the realm of simple and into something far more considered. These are tiny, precise moves that require not only a crystal-clear understanding of what Jil Sander herself set out to do almost six decades ago, but also the one quality she had in spades: confidence.
Think: a circular leg cut-out that sidesteps the predictable slit, revealing just the right flash of white, beige or charcoal tights. Perfectly rationed pops of colour and pattern – one lone leopard-print skirt among 63 looks, a mint-green bag, a handful of matte red lips. Coats sliced open at the back, moving in quiet sync with the wearer’s stride. Small interventions across a sea of immaculately constructed outerwear, shirting and trousers – the very codes that make the brand synonymous with elegance.
A steep start to the shows ahead. Bellotti may already have one of MFW’s best collections in the bag.
Words – Sofia Ferreira
