Tomas Maier isn’t big on observing anniversaries. Company Christmas party — not so much. Yet he believes in saying thank you, and giving credit where warranted. So he took the occasion of Bottega Veneta’s 50th anniversary and his 15th at the house to thank the creative collaborators who have worked with him to lift Bottega from near-bankruptcy to a thriving business, now the second-largest brand in Kering’s stable, behind Gucci. He thus switched his show venue from the house quarters to the Accademia di Brera, to accommodate extra seating including that for 250 artisans who work on Bottega’s women’s and men’s collections. And when he took his bow, he was joined by a cadre of designers from his studio. It made for a touching moment, and a reminder of how many people are involved in creating a single runway collection.
Maier’s gratitude proved well-placed. The collection he imagined and then realized with his design and artisan staffs made for a powerful manifestation of a design ethos of “private luxury.” It’s one wholly focused on luxe self-expression while unapologetically disinterested not only in trends (in as much as they exist today), but in the frenetic hype for hype’s sake that has pervaded fashion up to the highest levels of luxury where, one might think, the customer doesn’t determine her purchases based on the onslaught of cute Snapchat commentary now dispatched from every show.
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Maier’s first order of business was to highlight the reality of the clothes, and that their primary target is not willowy post-adolescents. While models-du-jour comprised most of his casting, he also signed up women of various ages: Guinevere Van Seenus, Karen Elson, Eva Herzigová and even Lauren Hutton, who carried a Bottega clutch in the 1980 “American Gigolo,” which was one of 15 archival bags reissued for the anniversary. Multigenerational models have hit runways before; here the move felt more smart than shtick, a seamless expression of Bottega’s place in fashion.
The clothes looked effortless and real, fulfilling Maier’s desire to impart a look of “great simplicity and sophistication.” The prevailing silhouette: snug on top over some volume, whether pleated cropped pants or a full skirt; Maier abhors clothes that don’t work, and un-walkable skirts are at the top of the list. He favored a classic fall palette for sporty separates, in, for example, a wine ostrich coat and cotton ribbed sweater over navy drill pants, but injected vibrant color for a trio of bright leathers — dresses in shocking pink and yellow, and geranium skirt. Many of the looks had a touch of the Forties in their waist-centric bravado. Maier offered airier options in dusty white separates — crepe de chine shirt tucked into gabardine kilt; cozy cardigan over viscose dress.
Despite Maier’s claims of simplicity, the show had countless points of interest, which subtly packed a stylistic punch. He dolled up beige canvas with black embroidery and a quartet of long, unfussy long evening looks in cotton taffeta, some with leather belts or straps. Low on froth; sky-high on chic.