The visual language of Bottega Veneta focuses primarily on what is left unsaid. Minimalism serves as the backbone of the brand, a spirit that is further reinforced by its Spring 2023 show designed by Matthieu Blazy.
A consistent component across the entire collection is the emphasis on construction, whether it be artisanal or industrial. Considering “Bottega Veneta” means Venetian shop in Italian, the attention to Italian craftsmanship in this season’s collection is certainly fitting. Many of the looks feature tweed, beading and inventive takes on fringe, as well as patterns that resemble the texture of a punch needle rug, evoking a unique hand-made quality. Even the the house specialty leather Intrecciato bag employs traditional basket-weaving technique.
Construction is also interpreted in a more industrial manner, appearing in the precise tailoring of sculptural trench coats, wrinkle-free button downs and boxy power suits.
Yet a certain laid-back casualness also permeates the collection, as demonstrated through an extensive array of baggy jeans, flannels and sweaters wrapped easily around the shoulders. The beloved in Intrecciato leather bag also takes new forms as a portable clutch, a slouchy oversized bag and over-the-shoulder sling, underscoring that feeling of casualness. The absence of a single Bottega logo throughout the collection is a nod to that less-is-more approach. Overall, simplicity and honesty are welcomed propositions amid an otherwise chaotic Milan Fashion week.
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One other contributing factor to the overall sense of chill on this season’s Bottega runway was an understated cameo by Kate Moss; rather than making a big deal out of a ’90s supermodel stunt casting (as so many other runway shows have been known to do), Bottega chose to neither open nor close the show with the runway legend. Instead, Moss appeared sixth in the model lineup, clad in baggy jeans and an unbuttoned flannel — the ultimate laid-back look.
Bottega Veneta Spring 2023. Photo: Imaxtree
The most maximalist element of the show may have been the colorful set and runway, which were created by renowned Italian architect and design pioneer Gaetano Pesce, whose four-decades-long career spans work in architecture, urban planning, interior, exhibition and industrial design. The multicolored flooring and colorful chairs exhibited a glazed pottery like finish and acted as an exciting backdrop against a relatively subdued collection.
See every look from Bottega Veneta’s Spring 2023 collection in the gallery below.
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