BOTTEGA VENETA

Daniel Lee brought edge and energy to Bottega Veneta before his dramatic, if mysterious, exit. Matthieu Blazy, his successor and the new Creative Director of the House, is keeping the energy though he is sanding down the edges for a more classical kind of beauty. “Investment pieces” is by now an industry cliché but it is the perfect description of Blazy’s thoughtfully reconsidered and impeccably executed staples. See the opening look of tank top and jeans—only these were crafted in leather. See also the new bags and boots, woven in one piece with no visible seams. Blazy’s clothes have motion and dynamism built into them. The clearest examples are the trousers designed a touch longer at the back, the coats with curved, swooping backs, and the full leather skirts with swishing underlayers of fringe. Even the smallest details have been thought through—from the raised, padded shoulder straps on classic sheaths to the tuxedo trousers cropped to reveal furry, fluoro shoes.