Images courtesy of Bottega Veneta.
Daniel Lee’s Bottega Veneta AW19 debut was one of the most anticipated shows of Milan Fashion Week. Dubbed as the “It brand of the year by” by Who What Wear and with early fans of his cooly elegant Pre-Fall offering including, Man Repeller’s Leandra Medine, fashion insiders eagerly awaited what the 32-year-old Brit had to offer. Taking the reins from Tomas Maier at the Italian heritage house in June last year, Lee, whetted our appetites with what was to come back in December with his sophisticated yet fresh Pre-Fall take on the brand’s commitment to craftsmanship and elegance. Lee, who cut his teeth in the industry at Maison Margiela and Balenciaga before heading up ready-to-wear at Phoebe Philo’s Céline, says that he likes “real clothes”. His wish to design for reality rather than fantasy inevitably makes us think of Philo’s dedication to making clothes for living and working women, without fuss and overstatement.
For his AW19 collection, Lee continued with a number of the tropes introduced in his Pre-Fall presentation, including quilted textures, sexy scoop cut outs, gold details, waist belts, elongated silhouettes for the men, and an innovative use of leather, befitting of the brand’s heritage. This morning, he gave us all of that and more. The collection was grown-up and toughened up with panelled biker jackets, padded leather trousers, thick-soled stomping boots and survival-style quilted coats for women as well as men (in fact, the men’s pieces were particularly accomplished). The palette was muted: mostly black with accents of shimmering pink, bright blues and cream; there was no doubt about it, Lee wants to bring edgy sophistication back.
But for all its grown-up authority, there was still a youthful wearability — one that makes Lee certainly a very interesting designer to watch. For example, those heavy gumboots, squashed into trousers, and worn with baggy anoraks, offer a nice alternative to the ubiquitous sneaker and also hint at a desire for practicality — equally evident in his liberating low heels. Elsewhere, there were plenty of sporty hoods and a rippling lattice leather texture punctuated the collection, appearing on skirts, dresses and coats throughout. But mostly, people were interested to see whether he would fill the Philo-shaped holes in our hearts, after Hedi Slimane only brought sequins and mini-skirts and dropped the accent at Celine — a house formerly known for its fiercely intelligent and considered womenswear.
Although Lee’s debut might not have been the jaw-dropping game-changer that was Philo’s first collection for Céline in 2013, there was still a desirable Philo undercurrent present in the rounded shoulders, non-conformist shapes (such as the peculiar quilt skirts) and emphasis on thoughtful comfort. It was not flamboyant or trend-led, or relying on Instagrammable gimmicks and bold gestures as so many brands are veering toward nowadays. Instead, Lee is doing that impressive Philo thing of designing clothes for women that will actually be worn and lived in.
See the rest of the collection here:
