Making fashion in today’s climate is not an easy job. Consumed by the dark clouds that seem to surround the world, producing beautiful clothes is a task that often feels superfluous. Matthieu Blazy is inspired by that uneasiness, one he admits to feeling in his skin. Influenced by the dark times we live in, Bottega Veneta’s Fall/Winter 2024 collection was a reflection on the cactus flower that blossoms in a desert’s flaming heat.
Among Murano-glass cacti and moody summer sunset lighting, Blazy presented sculptural wardrobe essentials. Meant to represent a celebration of the mundane, the designer made the quotidian extraordinary. The show opened with sumptuous outerwear pieces. In leather and wool, long coats contrasted circular shoulders with angular collars. The designer’s infatuation with shirts continued as oversized iterations were layered on top of each other.
If the shoulders were rounded at first, they soon became harsh, creating almost ninety-degree angles. The silhouette is explored in different ways. First in unassuming sweaters, then in below-the-knee knits.
Fringe dresses were continued from last season, this time explored in a restrained manner. Referencing the desert blossoms, a sleeveless red dress and a black skirt jut out just below the knee to reveal a cacophony of fringe, resembling an anemone as the model's feet slowly move them along the runway.
Despite the obvious commercial nature of the collection, Blazy’s obsession with trompe l’oeil was on full display. No, not in leather denim as in previous seasons, but in less algorithm-friendly ways. Torn dresses and coats revealed meticulous fringing techniques upon further inspection.
At Bottega Veneta, craft is a tool best used when testing the definition of surrealism. Mysteriously pleated skirt sets flowed hypnotically down the runway. Apron dresses in brick red and olive green combine diagonally at the body, seemingly kept together by comedically wobbly buttons. Armor-shaped sweaters printed optical black and white illusions.
After an immensely successful past two seasons, Blazy doesn’t seem to be slowing down, creating a collection that effortlessly blends the wearable and the artistic.
Words by Pedro Vasconcelos
