February 25, 2026 |
Simone Bellotti’s AW26 collection for Jil Sander was all about home – as one’s safe space, or not, where one might seek refuge or wish to flee from. Bellotti was thinking of his father, an upholsterer, and of the furniture and decor that fills a space. Because Jil Sander is a house, and a house contains codes, signs and tropes, something Bellotti is familiar with, he played with these in this outing, at once respecting, upturning or forgetting them.
In his sophomore season, he shifted the focus from brand essence to something more personal. If debut collections are about stripping back, this one was about adding – curves over straight lines, excess where there was once strict control. The idea of “heightened restraint” was gently challenged: could abandon still feel precise?
The palette stayed close to home – faded neutrals, black, grey and deep blues – but the silhouettes loosened. Shoulder lines lifted slightly off the body, collars slipped back, pockets drifted. Tailoring was buttoned high and cut with vertical sharpness, yet coats and blazers featured high back slits that disrupted the severity. Upholstery references came through in molded hourglass shapes and fabric that felt padded, folded or held in place with visible bar tacks.
There was a constant mirroring between womenswear and menswear, echoed in accessories: exaggerated heels set against soft, almost sock-like flats, and structured bags that balanced geometry with subtle curves. It felt like a house rearranged – familiar, but no longer static. Home is where the heart is.
Photography Courtesy of Jil Sander
