Because, in my opinion, it just doesn’t work. To be clear, I don’t want to see Italian glamour circa 2002 either, but it’s rather obvious that Bellotti doesn’t know where to stop. That’s why everything feels overdesigned. There’s no space to breathe, there's no space for chill, it’s stressful to watch the show, and unfortunately, the skills don’t support the vision. Case in point: look 6 or 9.
I’d rather take Tamburini’s experiments at Tod’s. At least it’s not pretending to be something it shouldn’t and feels honest.
good taste is everywhere in fashion right now. people keep complaining that everything feels stuck in the phoebe philo aesthetic, clean, tasteful, inoffensive.
then bally comes along with moments that are awkward, difficult, overdesigned, ridiculous, and people still complain. the argument that bellotti doesn’t know when to stop and that it’s all too much is fair, but isn’t that the point? fashion has been playing it so safe that something this unfiltered feels almost jarring. maybe it’s not perfect, but at least it’s not predictable.
and now there’s the complaint that the accessories are ugly. most brands just churn out slightly tweaked versions of bestsellers from other houses. finally, a company is making accessories that are distinctly their own, and that’s still a problem? let’s be happy someone in this industry is trying to draw outside of the lines and isn't being merchandised to death.
as i’ve said before, bellotti isn’t a very technically skilled designer, so i’d be the last to defend him on that. but at least he’s trying, experimenting, and making something interesting. and if that’s happening at a brand as lifeless as bally, even better.
i do wonder why i tolerate this kind of self-indulgence at bally but find francesco risso at marni unbearable. maybe risso’s messiness feels like a gimmick, while this feels like a statement. i don’t know.
