Bottega Veneta SS24 – Milan Fashion Week
The Italian House takes on a sweeping journey of the world for SS24. By Mya Bungar
As a lesson in craftmanship and experimentation, Matthieu Blazy took us on a winding, nomadic new journey at Milan Fashion Week for the Bottega Veneta SS24 collection. Reinvented silhouettes and playful textures were fused with cultural references from around the world; each garment coaxed away from its usual form while still maintaining a natural wearability.
It was no wonder travel was a central theme of the show, with our cast travelling down a catwalk of illustrated oceans and fantastical worlds. Just as the free-spirited traveller is not bound by time or location, every look “embrac[ed] something freeform: these are clothes without codes,” as Blazy explained it.
On our travels we saw chunky knits transformed halfway, as long fringing swung at the calf with each step. Cape-like shawls were draped over trench coats and even more fringing replaced lapels on chequered shirts. Eyes were drawn to the tribal-inspired hemline tassels as we wondered whether they were feather, wool or leather. And, once again, we found ourselves at a Bottega show asking: what on earth is that piece of clothing made of?
The accessories, however, were unquestionably leather, in all their intrecciato woven glory. Each explorer on the trail carried an oversized bag that allowed enough space for trinkets and treasures, including newspapers also made of leather. Some bags had sardine-shaped handles, while others mimicked the traditional sailor man’s duffle bag. Both nodded to the potential nautical adventures we all might find ourselves a part of soon.
Boisterous crocheted dresses covered in enlarged raffia pompoms, reminiscent of sea anemones caught in fisherman’s nets, closed the show. Juxtaposed by the tailormade suits with angular shoulders that began our journey, it became apparent that the travellers we were observing had undergone an internal transformation as well as a physical one. “No longer bound by the man-made, they begin to encompass the primal, natural world in what they wear,” Blazy concluded.
To read our review of the Bottega Veneta AW23 show from MFW, click here
Click here for more information on Bottega Veneta SS24
