Matthieu Blazy was a seasoned designer, yet relatively unknown, when he was promoted from within the ranks at Bottega Veneta. Founded in 1966, this Italian company is known for artisanal savoir faire in leatherwork and a memorable ’70s tagline, “when your own initials are enough.” The idea was to direct attention to products rather than branding or the designer, an approach that Blazy, known to be a team player, adopted.
His debut collection, for fall 2020, was a revelation: Blazy’s fantasy of the everyday—trompe l’oeil jeans and a white tank top, both in leather—pushed traditional craftsmanship into new territory. “When we sat down with the team I said, ‘Let’s do something mega-craft that is also extremely real,’” the designer told Vogue. These pieces might have fooled the eye, but they were real-real—tactile and dimensional—as opposed to hyper-real. In a sense Blazy broke through the third wall in a digital world with designs that invited touch and intimacy; they had to be experienced to be believed and fully appreciated. Here, a look back at the best of Blazy’s Bottega Veneta as it appeared in the pages of Vogue.
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Nyaueth Riam wears a Bottega Veneta dress in cappuccino, intrecciato boots, earring, and ring. Photographed by Rafael Pavarotti, Vogue, September 2022
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Mona Tougaard wears a rich red Bottega Veneta jacket and pants; glove, and earring. Photographed by Rafael Pavarotti, Vogue, September 2022
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Ajok Daing, in Central Park, wears a leather Bottega Veneta coat, shirt, and bags. Photographed by Alex Webb, Vogue, Winter 2023
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Chloe Oh wears a textured and fringed Bottega Veneta knit dress. Photographed by Cho Gi-Seok, Vogue, March 2023
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Cara Delevingne wearing Bottega Veneta’s trompe l’oiel leather flannel shirt and tank top. Photographed by Annie Leibovitz, Vogue, April 2023
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Sora Choi wears an oversize, chunky Bottega Veneta sweater with shorts. Photographed by Anthony Seklaoui, Vogue, August 2023
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Christy Turlington (left), in a Bottega Veneta leather top, tank top, and pants and Cartier bracelet, with Naomi Campbell. Photographed by Rafael Pavarotti, Vogue, September 2023
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Raquel Zimmermann wears a Bottega Veneta parka. Photographed by Mark Borthwick, Vogue, October 2023
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Nicki Minaj wears a Bottega Veneta trench coat and shirt. Norman Jean Roy Photographers, Inc.
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Bob Marley: One Love costars Kingsley Ben-Adir and Lashana Lynch in Bottega Veneta knits. Photographed by Norman Jean Roy, Vogue, March 2024
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Liu Wen pairs a Bottega Veneta skirt and trousers with a Prada shirt. Photographed by Mikael Jansson, Vogue, August 2024
This article was originally published on Vogue.com.
