How Bottega Veneta reversed paparazzi culture

A few weeks ago, we talked about how subliminal marketing should become more subliminal, using the example of numerous celebrity sightings in Los Angeles wearing full Bottega Veneta looks that appeared to be identical to those from the runway, breaking the illusion of spontaneity in those photos. But Bottega Veneta itself pulled the rug out from under the public, turning everything upside down: those photos, repurchased from paparazzi, became the Pre-Spring 2023 campaign for the brand, titled, with a nod to art history and Duchamp, Readymade. After the perspective shift, those photos take on meaning: what was inauthentic returns to being strangely realistic, the imperfections of angles and the casual circumstances of the landscape make the photos much more interesting than studio shots. Truly, art is a matter of perspective. On the business side, the strategy is a win-win: first, because those photos became viral twice, when they were first released and after the campaign revelation; second, because instead of facing the costs of a studio-shot campaign, it was enough to provide the looks to Kendall Jenner and A$AP Rocky and let the paparazzi do their job. Of course, there is a certain level of premeditation, but the photos are real, reflecting real-life moments of these stars with all the authenticity – if they weren't part of a campaign, paradoxically, they would have seemed more artificial.

The episode of Bottega Veneta's Pre-Spring 2023 campaign sheds light on how the paparazzo aesthetic still captivates both brands and the audience. Case in point: Gucci's campaign with Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny, reminiscent of the famous airport shots of David and Victoria Beckham and some looks from the Pre-Fall 2024 Balenciaga show in the past days, where some chenille looks with a takeaway coffee cup-shaped clutch naturally recalled the off-duty looks of celebrities caught by paparazzi. Crossing the Pacific Ocean to land in South Korea, it would be easy to find tons of photos of numerous and highly followed K-Pop idols captured by paparazzi in meticulously curated outfits, investigated and deconstructed by adoring fans, further circulating the names of the brands they wear. This also responds to how the broader internet audience has, in recent years, started to recover photos from tabloids of numerous celebrities (Lindsay Lohan and the Olsen twins are fan favorites, but there are also William and Kate from their university days) representing perhaps the most bizarrely sublime expression of our contemporary culture, so obsessed with observing and showcasing reality. We are all paparazzi of ourselves and others, and in this new normality, paparazzi shots, with their abrupt realism, often seem entirely fake or constitute a visual genre from which meme culture draws endless inspiration. Photos of Ben Affleck caught by photographers in attitudes of complete and liberating impatience in the middle of his day, for example, have become collective representations of public disgruntlement.

Transforming paparazzi shots into a fashion campaign takes it a step further. If Balenciaga's SS18 campaign depicted imaginary celebrities evading photographers (other campaigns by Moschino and Jimmy Choo had already paved the way) and Kanye West had dressed various celebrities, including Paris Hilton, like his ex-wife Kim Kardashian for Yeezy Season 6 campaign, Bottega Veneta's Readymade project closes the circle. The paparazzo's objective ceases to be (or appear) invasive; the conflict between the observed defending themselves and the observer assaulting with a flash present in previous campaigns is entirely absent. Authenticity remains, but indiscretion disappears – a reflection of a world where one almost willingly offers oneself to the gaze of others, where even the most casual outfit is the subject of some care since the smallest quirk will make it go viral, reigniting public attention for a certain personality. This summer, even those who don't know a single song by Shawn Mendes heard and saw his "smoothie squad" wandering around Los Angeles, and not to mention how Jacob Elordi ended up on everyone's lips for going out without shoes – a senseless move, but one can almost imagine thinking about how to drive photographers crazy with an impromptu extravagance. The important thing, in any case, was to carry a sponsored bag.