It’s hard to describe a collection that is as rich and multi-layered as Bottega Veneta Fall/Winter 2023. For a start, Matthieu Blazy was inspired by the notion of a carnival, where a cacophony of characters confluence into one. The key operative word is notion—it’s about the vibe, the mood, the feel, the spirit. The said characters played into different looks on the runway—there’s the sleepwalkers, who wears the supplest leather shoes in the shape of socks; then there’s the streetwalkers, the dandies, the lovelies, the principessa, the siren, each more interesting than before.
He mixes references from Botticelli’s ‘Primavera’ (c1482) to Boccioni’s futurist ‘Unique Forms of Continuity in Space’ (1913). This collection also marks the final chapter of what he calls his ‘Italia’ trilogy where he celebrates the past, present and the future. Still following? It doesn’t matter. What’s more important with the collection is the joy of fashion coming out of Blazy’s exploration of themes. In it he manages to create desire and satiate the palate of both critics and consumers.
Delectable dresses with tactile textures invite the curious mind to touch and feel them. The ingenious cuts and interesting silhouettes on jackets, coats and pants, which he can call his own at Bottega Veneta, make for some great conversation starters. Armed with the house’s skilled artisans and the wondrous mind of someone like Blazy, the future of Bottega Veneta is looking mighty bright.