Bottega Veneta's Latest Campaign is an Homage to Lockdown

Bottega Veneta’s Salon 01 Campaign is Bringing Luxury Home

Bottega Veneta has seen a style revival in the last two years with young fashion designer, Daniel Lee, at the helm. This is evident in the latest offering from Lee and the luxury fashion house with the Salon 01 Campaign. The campaign is an accompaniment to the Spring Salon 01 collection—viewed by socially distanced, high-profile guests such as Kanye West, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Stormzy in October 2020.

The show had an air of secrecy and so too has the brand that saw an abrupt departure from social media in early January. The fashion world has since been abuzz, speculating as to why Bottega Veneta would disappear? Some claim it was a PR stunt whilst others believe it was a move to better align with the brand’s values of elegance and exclusivity.

Despite the official count going AWOL, another curated page dedicated to Lee, @newbottega, boasts 423K followers. Instagram accounts may come and go, but style is forever. And it must be said that the departure from such an omnipresent platform does add an air of mystery to the fashion house.

The Salon 01 campaign fits with that vibe perfectly, bringing Bottega's classic understated elegance to the forefront.

Not only does the collection showcase Lee’s innovative designs but it acts as a tribute to the times, with a line inspired by domestic living.

The Salon 01 Campaign

In describing his new collection, Lee told Vogue “I’m always interested in this idea, of how you can feel done up and elegant at the same time as feeling comfortable. That’s really my kind of mission for Bottega.”

Shot by Tyrone Lebon’s in his trademark hyperrealist style, the campaign images depict models in intricate textures that meld into their surroundings. The collection is awash with bold colours: Emerald green, sharp blue and contrasting red.

Given that people have been existing mainly from within the confines of their homes, the collection offers a modern, elevated version of loungewear with enveloping woollen coats, textural cardigans, white underwear, colour-flecked trousers and matching evening slippers. Sheila Atim is particularly striking in a matching green stretch-knit skirt and cropped jacket that blends seamlessly with the sofa.

The Cast

The campaign features Nora Svenson, Nikita Stsjolokov, Ottawa Kwami, Emil Schueler and dancer, Andrea Risso. To play the parts of his protagonists, Lee selected German conceptual artist, Rosemarie Trockel, a German conceptual artist. Alongside, Lee also featured Sheila Atim: A Ugandan-born British actress, composer, and playwright.

Whilst Atim was handpicked after appearing at the October show, Trockel collaborated with Lee in the lead up to collection debut, contributing one of the three books distributed to press and industry insiders. The books, records, and videos were created to expose the inspiration underlying Lee’s work with Trockel’s book delving into the unique relationship between people and their clothes.

Who Is Daniel Lee?

Daniel Lee is a British designer who, at the age of 35, has made already an enviable imprint on the fashion industry. The talented Brit was previously director of ready-to-wear at Celine with stints at Balenciaga, Donna Karan and Maison Margiela under his belt. In 2018, he was appointed creative director at Bottega Veneta and the brand has since been reinvigorated with fashion that is both modern and unassuming.

His impact on the fashion house is plain to see with the brand winning across categories including Accessories Designer of the Year, Brand of the Year, Designer of the Year and British Designer of the Year for Womenswear, at the 2019 Fashion Awards.

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