Bottega Veneta's Fall/Winter 2023 Collection Ushers in a New Odyssey

Last February, Matthieu Blazy showed his first collection as Bottega Veneta’s creative director during Milan Fashion Week. Upon his return to the city one year later, we are presented with Blazy’s tremendous growth as a designer and in understanding the Bottega brand. Closing out his 'Italia' trilogy, the Fall/Winter 2023 collection was a parade of ostensible simplicity underlined by rich complexity. A seamless blend of Blazy’s artisanal experience at Maison Margiela, Raf Simons, Celine, and many more, the creative director inspired a new brand of Bottega. 

The house specializes in two things: handbags and Intrecciato woven leather—both of which were expertly executed throughout the collection. While this was demonstrated in part by models carrying two leather handbags at a time, there was great variety in the material’s manipulation. Menswear featured full leather suits and ties while womenswear included ultra-structured coat silhouettes and woven leather thigh-highs. That isn’t to say that everything was structured—the house’s leather technique was also apparent in more delicate applications of the material, appearing light and fluid. 

This element of movement was incredibly striking throughout the collection. Fringe and feathers of soft teal and Bottega green bounced with each step of the models while they maneuvered their way around Roman bronzes, which lunged forward as if preparing for motion themselves. Inspired by both antiquity and Futurism, we saw bum rolls and semi-sheer chemises intertwine with dramatic low-swooping necklines and painterly circular embellishments. 

Although the collection highlighted Bottega’s prowess for minimalism, pieces juxtaposing novel materials, like the translucent handled Sardine bags, offered an element of eccentricity. Blazy was mused by “the idea of a parade in Italy; a procession, a strange carnival, a crowd of people from anywhere and everywhere and yet somehow, they all fit and go in the same direction.” The designer “wanted to look at what makes people gather together in a place without hierarchy, where everyone is invited.” From shoes resembling socks to a spotted coat that might give Cruella de Vil a run for her money, Blazy ran the gamut of both Bottega’s artistry and his own, creating his most omnibus collection yet.