A model walks for the Bottega Veneta brand during Milan Fashion Week in Italy on September 21, 2024.
Gabriel Bouys
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This Saturday, while waiting for the Bottega Veneta show under the artistic direction of Matthieu Blazy, Madonna unexpectedly attended the Dolce & Gabbana event of Milan Fashion Week, which is about to end.
Madonna sat in the front row during the parade, wearing a veil that did not allow her to see her face.
The collection is, in fact, the Italian brand's tribute to the pop superstar. The models all wore blonde wigs, some wore bustier corsets, others wore black men's tuxedo suits trimmed with suspenders.
Starting at 8:00pm (6:00pm GMT), the Bottega Veneta fashion show will take center stage.
Founded in 1966 in the Italian city of Vicenza, in the Veneto region, the house, known for its leather goods and craftsmanship, joined the Kering group in 2001 and is going through a good time, while Gucci, the group's first flagship, has seen a 20% decline in sales.
However, Gucci had a turnover of 4.1 billion euros (about 4.6 billion dollars) in the first half, while Bottega Veneta achieved 836 million euros.
Kering is a drop in the ocean, but it holds its own and has a unique vision of fashion.
Under the artistic direction of Mattieu Blazy, who joins the luxury brand at the end of 2021, Bottega Veneta stands out for playing with ultra-discreet exclusivity.
The Franco-Belgian, who lives between Antwerp and Milan, began his career as a menswear designer for Raf Simons before joining Maison Martin Margiela.
After passing on Céline and Calvin Klein, he was finally asked to direct Bottega Veneta's ready-to-wear line.
Its vision is based on the strength of knowledge and craftsmanship of the Venetian house.
Playful items were used with optical illusions and iconic pieces, such as denim-look pants made of calfskin that retailed for €5,200.
The brand has developed a cult status in recent years with avant-garde decisions such as the absence of logos on products.
Blazy likes his “intrecciato”, the house’s famous braided leather signature, or his “nodo”, a large brass bow attached to bags, shoes and other accessories.
and strategic lack of social networks. In 2021, the house will delete its Instagram account, which has millions of followers. Instead, its fans have taken over the unofficial “Newboteca” account to ensure they don't miss anything from the brand's news.
The luxury house is ramping up “artistic” initiatives, such as publishing a fanzine every six months, with limited circulation and distributed in drips and drops, but free in stores. The magazine has become a cult item since its first issue, selling out within an hour of hitting the stores.
A lover of contemporary art and design, Matthieu Blazy collaborates with photographers, artists and designers to feed the brand's projects.
It also does important collaborations that are announced on the day of the shows, such as 400 different chairs by the Italian designer Gaetano Bess, who died in April — or the reinterpretation of the cabanon stool with Le Corbusier's Cassina from 1952 from the house's Winter 24 fashion show.
The recent opening of Palazzo Van Axel in Venice will welcome exclusive Bottega Veneta customers to discover the brand's universe in a renovated palace at the heart of La Serenisima.
Customers will receive personalized services such as luxury leathers, not available in store, or ordering unique pieces.
The palace will host exhibitions, special programs and, in November, the presentation of a high jewelery collection.
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