Bottega Veneta's Pre-Fall 2020 collection

If we were to condense in a word the impression that you have by scrolling through the looks created by Daniel Lee for the Pre-Fall 2020 of Bottega Veneta, you should use the noun "softness". It's true that the creative director of the brand has always played with round and exaggerated silhouettes, but if his previous collections had focused on darker color palettes and, in the case of the latest Spring 2020, slender and aggressive shapes, the Pre-Fall 2020 appears more relaxed, if not playful. What is certain, however, is the new mood that Lee has impressed on the brand, also celebrated by the page @newbottega whose curator was interviewed by nss magazine last month.

Black is still the dominant color of the looks, but it's lightened by intense shades of turquoise, red, pink and yellow. The simple lines of the dresses are juxtaposed with shoes and accessories with puffy, rounded volumes. The woven pattern, cornerstone of Bottega Veneta's identity, is applied not only to leather but also to furs and puffer jackets that, behind a soft appearance and free of frills, hide a meticulous and intricate structure. In addition to the workmanship of the clothes itself, the extravagance is relegated to the wide cuts and texture of the materials, especially the leather, the layering and details such as pockets and buttons, with an unusual and maximalist shape.  It would seem that the guiding principle followed by Lee was to avoid, as far as possible, seams and other "interruptions" on the surface of the garments.