Upon entering the venue of the Bottega Veneta Spring/Summer 2025 show, a zoo of sorts appeared right in front of the attendees’ eyes. Surrounded by dimmed light, a cornucopia of beanbags in the shape of animals – horses, foxes, rabbits, whales, elephants, you name it – provided the seating for the guests. This playful set-up instantly indicated what’s been on Matthieu Blazy’s mind this season. A sense of childlike wonder permeated the majority of the looks, creating a captivating contrast with the top-of-the-top level of craftsmanship that the Italian luxury brand is known for.
The offering began with a line-up inspired by the desires we have as children to try on our parents’ clothes. The tailoring’s proportions were blown up – the shoulders were ultra-wide and the lapels were almost touching the sleeves. And although Bottega’s signature elegance was out in full force, elements of unabashed glee started to peek through – from plastic-like bags (in leather, of course) with pictures of mermaids to a pink backpack nonchalantly hanging off the shoulder. The farm from the venue further found its way onto the presented garments. Frog brooches decorated long-sleeved dresses and cardigans, while a rabbit was printed on a creased T-shirt. Blazy also continued his favourite game of “Is it leather?” (it usually is), accessorizing the looks with woven flowers, shiny lunch bags, and even creating a sequined skirt made completely out of leather paillettes. The collection closed with a range of silhouettes paired with extravagant shaggy and spiky hats – a beautiful exclamation point to Blazy’s joyous vision for next spring.
Words by Martin Onufrowicz