Bottega Veneta has, and always will be, a luxury fashion house. Both words, fashion and luxury, hold equal importance in their business. For Fall 2019, former Celine employee Daniel Lee debuted as the new creative director for the said label, and his show proved that he understands the equilibrium upon which the house was founded on. This season, there was a lot of leather work, not just on the bags, but on the ready-to-wear as well. In the menswear, in particular, tailoring and craft were the names of the game. The first menswear look—that of a chocolate brown leather coat featuring the brand’s iconic intreccio weaving design—was both fascinatingly fashionable and utterly luxurious. Then came the suits, each sharper than the next, gradually evolving in volume and shape until came a large boxy jacket with the shoulders so broad it looked like a businessman version of an American football uniform. Although they all remained relatively minimal, the impact of such looks was staggering and seductive. The only problem Lee’s new Bottega Veneta will face now is how the house’s faithful clientele, who was used to Tomas Maier’s old-school brand of sophistication, will take this rather modern and almost streetwise approach. Only time can tell!
Photo: Alessandro Lucioni / Gorunway.com