Monica Bellucci Debuts Crochet Noir in Mondino’s 2017 Beach Shoot • CelebMafia

Crochet meets cinematic melancholy—Monica Bellucci channels windswept noir in Jean-Baptiste Mondino’s moody beachside portrait for Numéro, July 2017.

There’s something haunting about Monica Bellucci standing alone on a windswept beach—storm clouds gathering, lace clinging, the sea whispering secrets behind her. It’s not just a fashion shoot; it’s a mood, a memory, a myth in motion.

Shot by the legendary Jean-Baptiste Mondino for Numéro in July 2017, the image captures Bellucci in a black, intricately crocheted dress that feels equal parts Mediterranean widow and avant-garde siren. The deep V-neckline and knee-length hem flirt with classic silhouettes, while the short sleeves and open weave lend a raw, tactile sensuality—like something unearthed from a Sicilian trunk and reimagined for the runway.

Styled by Irina Marie Bondarenko, with hair by John Nollet and makeup by Letizia Carnevale, the look is a masterclass in tonal cohesion. The dress, reportedly by Dolce & Gabbana, echoes the brand’s signature reverence for Italian heritage—romantic, dramatic, unapologetically feminine. No jewelry distracts; the accessories are elemental: wind, water, shadow.

Mondino’s lens doesn’t just document—it dramatizes. The lighting is stark, almost biblical, casting Bellucci as a lone figure in a cinematic tableau. Her pose is deliberate, defiant. Is she waiting for someone—or leaving them behind?

The shoot coincided with Bellucci’s press tour for On the Milky Road, Emir Kusturica’s surreal wartime romance, adding another layer of narrative tension. The dress, the beach, the storm—it all reads like a still from a lost Fellini film, or perhaps a Dolce & Gabbana campaign directed by Antonioni.

And that crochet? It’s having a moment. From runway to resort, designers are embracing artisanal textures with a vengeance—call it “craft couture” or “lace rebellion,” but Bellucci wore it before it was trending.

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