Bottega Veneta Fall / Winter 2023

Bottega Veneta Fall / Winter 2023

Bottega Veneta, now headed by Matthieu Blazy, debuted its Fall / Winter 2023 collection during Milan Fashion Week. The label is part of a flurry of replacements that occurred in the industry in the past two years. But Blazy who replaced English designer Daniel Lee was predicted to be a preserver of the minimalism Lee tended to during his time. Previously working with Raf Simons, Blazy is not a mover or shaker. He instead aims to continue (and succeeds at that) the principle of covert yet contemporary luxury. When your own initials are enough, as they said in the 70s. Blazy’s love for Italy’s history and heritage also can’t be denied as guests sat on Superleggera chairs and faced ancient Runner statues.  

Bottega Veneta: The Collection

An airy, semi-transparent white dress opened the show with an Intrecciato clutch. A thing of note was the leather socks doubling as a shoe that would appear for much of the collection. We can dress you for whatever the day calls, Blazy seemed to be saying. The looks progressed from comfort wear to work-wear, day-wear and eventually nightwear. No theme is specified but perhaps that is the point. 

Layering was the oft-appearing choice alongside material and color. Men were subject to workwear that consisted of a blocky silhouette compounded by layered knit or trench coats..Dresses with lace-embroidered flowers whose layered cuts made for a dynamic silhouette. Blazy utilized slits in these trench-style coats that wonderfully showcased baggy leather boots as the models walked. His use of the Intrecciato weave on over-the-knee boots to contrast material should also be noticed. 

Grand use of material also called for popcorn tops with upturned waists and skirts with feathers declining into one another. A teal coat overwhelmed with feathers and grounded by patches of transparency is a particular standout. There also was a noticeable predilection for asymmetry. Asymmetry came about sweeping necklines for women in anything from soft, feminine fabrics to structured evening gowns. 

Ending a concoction of lace and feather, the closing look was a simple white top, jeans and a waist-tied pink shirt – all made in leather. It is dazzling not only in its leather construction but also in the unpretentiousness and unpredictability. 

Blazy raced through the runway after, dressed in a utility shirt and jeans. An artist’s uniform, one could almost imagine him in the heat of his work. A year after his appointment, he has curated a familiar yet still exciting vision. And Bottega Veneta starts a new chapter.

Images via Vogue Runway

Featured Image via Vogue Runway

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