Curations: Bottega Veneta’s Salon 01 collection knits high fashion together with comfort and nostalgia
- Creative director Daniel Lee’s designs for the Italian luxury brand’s Spring 2021 collection emphasise knitwear and homespun looks
- The line-up was secretly presented last autumn in a pair of socially distanced, pared-back shows in London for an exclusive list of fashion insiders
Since taking up the role of Bottega Veneta’s creative director in June 2018, Daniel Lee has led the fashion evolution of the Italian luxury brand that has been long known for leather bags and accessories.
The youthful vision of the 35-year-old British designer takes shape in Salon 01, his Spring 2021 ready-to-wear collection based around the concept of comfortable yet expressive fashion.
“I’m always interested in this idea of how you can feel done up and elegant at the same time as feeling comfortable. That’s really my kind of mission for Bottega,” Lee told Vogue as the collection launched in December.
In this new era of virtual runway shows, Lee sought to engage with fashion followers in a socially distant but more personal way. So Bottega Veneta put together a set of three books depicting the creative journey of the Salon 01 collection, accompanied by a record of a spoken-word performance by Swedish singer-songwriter Neneh Cherry titled “The Importance of Wearing Clothes”.
The first book documents Lee’s inspirations for the collection. He gathered images of people and objects that captured his imagination, including actress Jodie Foster – pictured hiding from paparazzi behind her Bottega Veneta bag – and rock musician PJ Harvey.
The second book was created by German conceptual artist Rosemarie Trockel, known for out-of-the-box depictions of feminist and cultural themes using a variety of mediums. She took a series of photos showing pieces of the Salon 01 collection in progress, and presented them alongside printed statements about the intimate relationship that people have with fashion.
The third book is an album of the finished looks, shot by photographer and filmmaker Tyrone Lebon at Salon 01 London, a live event held last October to present the collection. Lebon snapped the models both onstage and behind the scenes.
Salon 01 London comprised two shows staged at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London before a select audience of fashion insiders that included actress Salma Hayek Pinault and rapper Kanye West. It broke away from the conventional fashion show format of a runway surrounded by rows of seats, instead seating the small audience in folding chairs scattered across a sparse stage.
The event resembled an abstract theatre performance as the models meandered through the socially-distanced, masked audience, under lighting that transitioned between different neon colours. The spoken-word performance by Cherry served as the soundtrack for the show.
Salon 01 London – and the ensembles it showcased – was kept secret until Bottega Veneta released a film of the event in December as the collection was launched.
The Salon 01 collection offers contemporary comfort, vivid colours and hints of nostalgia. The clothing emphasises knitted tailoring and hand-crafted work, from sleek skirt suits in a stretchy fabric to cosy dresses knit with thick yarn. The fabrics are highly tactile, such as a bouclé in various contrasting hues that’s reminiscent of furniture upholstery, while the easy silhouettes recall 1960s-era fashion.
The Triangle bags carry on a design first introduced in Wardrobe 01, Lee’s Pre-Spring 2021 collection for Bottega Veneta. They are made with crochet, knit and bouclé finishes in bright colours, coordinating with the clothing line. The brand’s signature leatherwork is featured in several pieces as well, including a puffy, quilted briefcase and a handbag covered in chains made of leather.
The shoes are made for glamorous comfort seekers, with homespun finishes and gummy leather, again in an array of bold hues. This part of the Salon 01 collection features chunky yet lightweight clog-like sandals, along with slip-on technical shoes that recall 1990s styles and provide an ideal example of high-fashion athleisure. There is also a high-concept platform wedge that merges art and footwear.
With the Salon 01 collection, Lee makes a reassuring fashion statement of domestic solace and continuity in response to our current stay-at-home culture.