This Milan Fashion Week season marked several milestones for Bottega Veneta. The luxury Italian house was not only celebrating its 50-year anniversary, but also 15-years under the creative direction of German-born designer Tomas Maier.
The celebrations began at Bottega Veneta’s Spring/Summer 2017 Show, held at Milan’s historic Accademia di Brera, where both men’s and women’s collections were shown together for the first time. Marking the house’s illustrious heritage, models past as well as present took to the runway, culminating in a finale with the legendary Lauren Hutton, who famously carried the brand’s intrecciato clutch in the film American Gigolo, arm-in-arm with current face Gigi Hadid.
Photo: wonderlandmagazine.com
The woven clutch was one of 15 bags from the house’s rich archive that appeared in the show, which was filled with Maier’s signature figure flattering-designs. Clearly evident was the craftsmanship that forms the cornerstone of the Bottega Veneta brand, each perfectly tailored piece left purposely to speak for itself. To be a Bottega customer "you need to like something quiet", the designer revealed backstage, and his continued success as creative director lies in his deftness in marrying quiet, classic pieces with a fashion sensibility.
Following a standing ovation for Tomas Maier and his team, who joined him on the runway, anniversary celebrations continued long into the night at an exclusive dinner hosted by Kering CEO Francois Henri Pinault. Attendees included Vogue editors Anna Wintour and Franca Sozzani, actress Andie McDowell, Mira Duma and Carmen, a longtime friend of the designer and loyal supporter of the brand.