“As a child, there is the adventure of the everyday, the feeling that anything can happen, however fantastic, and we are not so bound by normal expectations and conventions. The door is open to the possibility of unusual realities and wonder, impossible scenarios that do not admit of disappointment. It is the power of sincerity over that of strategy.”
– Matthieu Blazy
These are the words with which the Creative Director of Bottega Veneta decides to open the post-show notes. A journey that takes us into Matthieu’s life, into his childhood, the naive and happy one of every child who lives life to the fullest, with enthusiasm and vivacity. The expectations that a child seems to be unaware of are part of every adult’s life. And tonight, once again, Matthieu Blazy exceeded all expectations. His stylistic sincerity is the key to victory, a simple and clear authenticity that tells a sincere, direct, and unconstructed context. The garments that came out on the runway all represented the genuineness of those behind the creation. The lines are clean, the silhouettes simple, the colors bold, and the materials incredibly combined. The collection tells of a new power dressing, a series of characters and personalities that seem to rediscover themselves through clothing and accessories. A temporal transition, a continuous movement, an everyday becoming essential, a childlike playfulness becoming grand. The past and the present are recalibrated in a kind of reverie, in a magical setting, almost surreal to most, life is about practicality and construction, while here echoes the refusal to put away the characters of childhood. Elements, however, that from the seemingly merely futile and playful aspect, become austere and moving. Every mind and every eye are brought back in time, in front of a mirror, in which everyone recognizes himself as a child, and finds himself in the radical ease of a child playing at being an adult. The desire for discovery and experimentation. The refinement of the Maison’s savoir-faire is imbued with the energy of youth.
And here the collection itself tells us about everyday characters, about our everyday lives, making us feel an integral part of an ordinary and habitual flow of time, entering into our actions. There are spontaneous heroes of their own lives, the Italian industrialist creates his own playground; the businessman accompanies his daughter to school, with his pink backpack on his back; the teenager wanders aimlessly; the chic Milanese at the supermarket; a girl and a boy wear their parents’ clothes, imagining what they will be one day. All the joys and adventures of dressing up for fun are there.
And we can’t help but feel honored to have been part of the creative process, and even before inspiration, of Bottega Veneta’s new Summer 25. The deepest experimentation can be seen in the cuts and materials, leather being the true and usual protagonist, versatile and modern. The tailored cuts are impeccable, and the volumes give a sophisticated and irregular note. There is also wool and cotton, the former woven in jacquard and the latter becomes heavy and sculpted, paying homage to the classic wardrobe. Accessories are a declaration of love, the disposable shopping bags actually have precious craftsmanship. The new bricolage bags are transforming, as are the characters who wear them; each is unique and individual. The Andiamo and Sardine return in different colors and details, but always and unquestionably eye-catching in their genre. It is the animals that dominate the scene, in a warm, golden setting. In addition to the manufacturing details that reference animalistic elements, it is their symbols that are rooted in the collection’s narrative. The frog represents metamorphosis; the rabbit is a symbol of rebirth and good luck. The former leaps free in the form of a jewel, stopping anywhere, in even unconventional positions. It becomes brooch, shoe heel or ring. While the bunny enlivens the collection, from one category to another.
“Can we find power in gentleness? Can the allure of fearlessness clash with strict precision? Could a new movement be created? What would the child in you want? I wanted to feel once again the primal attraction of fashion, a teenage fascination that embraces the joy of looking, discovering and dressing: the power of wow!”
Experimentation varies between past and present, craftsmanship and art, space and time. Like the common thread that unites Blazy’s work, once again the wearer of Bottega Veneta’s collection finds himself or herself bound in an ever-changing exchange of emotions and sensations. The blank sheet of paper on which to work leaves the mind free to unleash singular and unique ideas, which are realized in extraordinary art forms. Essentials take center stage, playful forms become functional, intrepid imagination becomes practical, and the subversion of creativity gives a unique look to details. In conclusion, Bottega Veneta’s Summer 25 collection is a return to the origins, to that primal feeling that made us approach fashion. That made us smell it, know it and love it, and sometimes even hate it. That made us embrace it and discover it. That made us wear it every day, that made us desire it incessantly, with the power of wow.
