Simone Bellotti is new Bally Design Director after Villaseñor's exit

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
May 31, 2023

​Swiss luxury brand Bally on Wednesday named Simone Bellotti as its Design Director leading its design studio. It’s an internal promotion with Bellotti having joined the firm back in October after 16 years at Gucci.

In fact, as well as Gucci, he has an impressive track record having also held senior design positions at Dolce & Gabbana, Bottega Veneta, and Gianfranco Ferré.

The appointment comes after the unexpected announcement in mid-May that Rhuigi Villaseñor was exiting his Creative Director role after only a little over a year. The JAB Holding-owned brand and the outgoing creative chief said it was a “mutual decision”.

As for Bellotti, Bally said he “brings with him a deep understanding of both ready-to-wear tailoring and accessories craftsmanship”.

It should be a seamless move for the Design Director as he’s already worked alongside the design studio team in the past nine months.

CEO Nicolas Girotto said he’ll “continue to interpret and rejuvenate our signature codes in the context of today. Simone’s passion and appreciation for Bally’s heritage, coupled with his extensive industry experience, will enable us to continue to execute on our vision of creating timeless and elegant products that uphold our legacy of craft and stand the test of time.”

Bally is in the middle of a major transformation under Girotto, with a “rejuvenated strategic direction”.

It said that Bellotti’s appointment to lead the design studio “further reinforces the renewed focus on Bally’s core values of craftsmanship, innovation, and Swiss luxury”.

His first collection for the label will be seen in an SS24 fashion show at Milan Fashion Week in September.

There’s no clue yet what he’ll come up with but he’s known for an architectural approach to design projects, as well as having a keen eye for detail, “interpreting archival references in innovative directions”. Bally also said that “a freedom of spirit and passion for research inform Bellotti’s eye, as he draws on art, photography, and music for inspiration”.