By marrying comfort and style, Bottega Veneta Salon 01 is a masterclass in post-pandemic dressing (click here for our review). Daniel Lee, creative director, says: “I’m always interested in this idea of how you can feel done up and elegant at the same time as feeling comfortable.”
Held at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London, Lee’s deliberately pared-back presentation for Salon 01 followed up from where Wardrobe 01 left off in Resort 2021 (ICYMI: click here). In addition to building on his vision to create practical and love-forever pieces, Salon 01 also explored concepts such as “the known and the now”, the comfort and reassurance behind domesticity, and the tension between confinement and freedom.
So Lee took inspiration from soft home furnishings, working with fabrics and fabrication that offer give and stretch, such as knits, crochet and quilting, to evoke a sense of nostalgia and homespun cosiness. As a result, silhouettes were easier and softer. His bags benefited especially from this approach – juxtaposed with defined shapes and clever construction to inject modern appeal. Here are our favourites from Bottega Veneta Salon 01 (it was also on our must list for CNY this year).
01 | Beak
Getting personal gets easier with the Beak, which anchored many menswear looks during Salon 01 London presentation. Styled like a bum bag but boosted with a webbing strap reminiscent of airplane seatbelts, this has a tubular drawstring that allows gents to vary its shape according to required capacity. Meanwhile, a daintier version of the Beak is available for ladies who want to travel lighter. With its eye-catching flap and drawstring construction, this is one crossbody too cute to resist.
02 | Point
Building on the feelings of comfort evoked by home furnishings in the ready-to-wear line-up, the Point reinterprets the Triangle (from Wardrobe 01) with homespun fabrications, including knit and crochet. Using intricate and imaginative craftsmanship to play up its clean silhouette, this is testament to Lee’s dexterity in fusing practical and precious.
03 | Doll
New for Salon 01 yet nostalgic in appeal, the Doll embodies Bottega Veneta artisanal prowess – its 3D shape is formed via a cut-out technique using eight pieces of leather. Edges, magnets and rivets are cleverly concealed too. Very sleek, yes?