All change at Bottega Veneta: designer Daniel Lee moves on | Fashion
Daniel Lee, the designer credited with revitalising the luxurious style label Bottega Veneta is leaving the brand name.
A assertion asserting the news states it is a “joint choice to stop their collaboration”. But it is a shock to the style industry. Lee, who joined Bottega Veneta in July 2018, has speedily built it 1 of the world’s most popular brand names. During his tenure, styles had been worn by Rihanna, A$AP Rocky and Mary J Blige, and accessories which include the “pouch” bag and woven leather “Lido” sandals became extremely sought-just after and considerably imitated. Gross sales rose 2.2{a78e43caf781a4748142ac77894e52b42fd2247cba0219deedaee5032d61bfc9} to nearly €1.2bn (£1bn) in 2019 and saved expanding in 2020, even with the rest of the luxurious market slipping by 23{a78e43caf781a4748142ac77894e52b42fd2247cba0219deedaee5032d61bfc9}. In the third quarter of 2021, revenues rose 8.9{a78e43caf781a4748142ac77894e52b42fd2247cba0219deedaee5032d61bfc9} yr on yr.
Fashion’s rumour mill has currently recommended many motives driving the break up. Lee formerly labored at Celine underneath Phoebe Philo and, with Philo’s very own manufacturer making its significantly-anticipated debut subsequent 12 months, sector insiders are speculating he may well be joining her. “Welcoming all theories,” wrote Eating plan Prada on its Instagram submit announcing the information. “Ours? LVMH has poached him back again to get the job done underneath Phoebe Philo’s nevertheless-to-debut eponymous brand name lol.”
Women’s Dress in Everyday suggests Lee’s approaches of doing work experienced been complicated, with tons of personnel members leaving Bottega Veneta. It rates a resource expressing: “There’s no denying his talent, but on a own amount, handling relations is yet another make any difference – also given his working hours, normally at night. So lots of persons left, it was a revolving door.” A presentation in Detroit past thirty day period, and the strain associated placing it collectively, may well be the event that led to Lee leaving the model.
Teo van den Broeke, Type Director at GQ, also speculated that the performing culture might be the culprit. “Did anything untoward transpire in just the airy ateliers of Bottega Veneta’s By means of Privata Ercole Marelli headquarters in Milan?” he wrote. “Chances are we’ll never know, but there’s tiny doubt that a seismic occasion happened in get to precipitate this kind of improve at such speed.”
Lee’s Bottega Veneta had a disruptive method to interaction. Social media accounts, now a provided for luxurious brand names, have been deleted by Bottega Veneta at the begin of 2021. Although this was hailed as radical – and has due to the fact been copied by other makes – other pivots have been considerably less effective. Bottega Veneta did not engage with electronic trend exhibits throughout the pandemic, and has considering that used invite only salon-type shows in London, Berlin and Detroit. An immediately after-party in Berlin in April – in the course of lockdown in the town – was criticised on social media. “This is so fucking immoral, we are in a MF lockdown listed here in Berlin,” wrote influencer Loona Hamilton.
In the brand statement saying the break up, François-Henri Pinault, the chairman of Kering, the luxurious group that owns Bottega Veneta, reported: “I am very grateful to Daniel for obtaining introduced his passion and vitality to Bottega Veneta. His singular vision designed the House’s heritage applicable for these days and set it again to the centre of the style scene. I would like to individually thank him for the unique chapter that he has composed in the prolonged heritage of Bottega Veneta.” Lee commented: “My time at Bottega Veneta has been an remarkable practical experience. I am grateful to have worked with an exceptional and talented crew and I am without end grateful to all people who was aspect of creating our eyesight.”
When the statement finishes with a notice that “a new innovative organisation for the Dwelling will be declared soon”, it is unclear who will consider Lee’s location. Women’s Wear Day-to-day counsel that the brand might endorse a member of the style and design group, this kind of as structure director Matthieu Blazy. This method has been used at Gucci, a different Kering brand. Alessandro Michele, previously element of the layout workforce, has had fantastic accomplishment given that getting innovative director in 2015.