Bally’s spring show, once again staged at Milan’s 16th century cloisters of the San Simpliciano basilica, fit with the brand’s rigorous lineup by creative director Simone Bellotti. But he also has been adding an irreverent and whimsical twist to his sober trenches and tailored suits, as was the case this season.
Ahead of the show, Bellotti pointed to a 1916 image on his mood board of German poet Hugo Ball, a founder of the Dada artistic movement and of Cabaret Voltaire in Zurich, wearing a concave steel habit. “I liked this shape and worked on it a lot,” said the designer, so that the cocooning silhouette informed the coed collection, framing the neck with an operatic volume, as seen in his leather jackets and the shirts with rounded sleeves.
This is only Bellotti’s third collection for Bally, but he has already identified and cemented a precise, sculptural silhouette for the brand. This season there was also a more romantic touch to the looks – in sync with the trend in Milan. The motifs on gossamer dresses recalled spring mountain flora, also reproduced on a faded rose print on fine cashmere knits.
He took natural elements such as mushrooms, rocks and mountains and reworked them “in abstract like Man Ray, where the meaning of an object changes in a simple, almost naif way, and becomes a decoration,” he said, turning to an image of the artist’s “Le Cadeau [The Gift],” a sculpture of an iron with thumb tacks glued to its base. For example, the engraved belt buckles and handbag straps were modeled after an antique hammered shoe horn Bellotti found. He achieved the effect of knits reminiscent of rocks and mountains with a crumpled and rigid texture, made possible by adding a special foil on the wool.
Bally has been underscoring its unique “Swissness” as chief executive officer Nicolas Girotto puts it, and Bellotti has been playing with metallic details shaped like tiny cow bells, for example. For spring, he took the bell inspiration further, as seen in the skirts and bags in the shape. Some trapeze doctor’s bags also stood out with an alpine floral palette with topstitched details. Bellotti realized petal-like folds of a ruffled peplum on skirts, and he scrunched up taffeta or silk gazar skirts.
In addition, Swiss recording artist Aisha Devi created a bespoke soundtrack for the brand.
Bally’s footwear pillars were revisited, such as the new Glendale with a slim pedestal heel, or the lace-up Scribe elevated on a block heel. Derbies and cut-out Mary Jane brogues were studded with bright saddlery studs, and punk spikes jutted out of a series of sandals.
In August, an affiliate of Regent, the owner of Club Monaco and Escada, acquired Bally International A.G. from JAB, but so far the future of Bellotti has not been questioned. Bellotti stayed the course with this collection, which was convincing and aligned with the brand, while still evolving it.