REPORT
The new direction of
Bottega Veneta
By Koyaana R. Aug. 8, 2019
Bottega has been making headlines since its newest collection
hit the runway.
Daniel Lee, the luxury house’s new creative director, has developed a line that strikes many as what Celine used to be under Phoebe Philo. And everyone is absolutely thrilled about it. Being hailed as an option for Philophites to fawn over, the new aesthetic of Bottega is clearly trying to grab the attention of a younger demographic.
Courtesy of Fashion Week Daily
Since its establishment in 1966, Bottega Veneta has rarely tried to cater to younger generations, keeping its aesthetic deeply attached to their signature intrecciato and sticking to classic silhouetted they had long relied on. Over the last couple of decades, it slipped from the spotlight and retreated to the recesses of the fashion world where it lay in wait for someone to revamp and revitalize it.
Courtesy of Harper’s Bazaar Arabia
Enter Daniel Lee. Appointed in 2018, Lee took one year to cultivate a new look and feel for the brand, rather than releasing a collection immediately as most creative directors do. Hailing from Celine, it is no surprise that this 32-year-old visionary was able to allude to the clean, minimalistic style the brand had been known for under Phoebe Philo.
The newest bags for the brand have taken Instagram by storm, inundating fashion feeds with image after image of the surprising favorites. Their most popular is “The Pouch,” a cloud-shaped clutch that social media influencers can’t get enough of. In a bold move, Lee also updated the look of the intrecciato by supersizing the weave and creating the “Maxi Cabat.” This refresh of the classic cabat allows the brand to appeal to the ever choosy Millennial.
Courtesy of Bagaholic Boy
Courtesy of South China Morning Post
The nostalgia that the new Bottega brings has the fashion community up in arms, many hoping and praying they may have found a new brand to fall in love with since turning away from the Celine under Hedi Slimane. The coming seasons will be crucial in determining whether or not Bottega can rise up to the occasion of filling the void of the old Celine, and if they can, they will have a wave of converts ready for this new direction.
