The It brand of 2019 is just hitting stores and the street style scene as of this week. It’s not a buzzy brand you’ve never heard about before or a just-launched label emerging on Instagram, as we may be accustomed to in the 2019 fashion world. No, it’s heritage house Bottega Veneta—a brand that has deep roots in Italian craftsmanship dating back to 1966. The iconic house has been reimagined under recently appointed creative director Daniel Lee, who brings a forward-thinking vision and fresh design perspective to the brand. Fashion insiders can’t quite contain their enthusiasm for everything he touches.
I started noticing this months back when photos from Lee’s first collection began circulating over Instagram. Man Repeller’s Leandra Medine posted a photo of a pre-fall 2019 look featuring a thick black knit cardigan, buttery leather A-line skirt, electric blue square-toe heels, and accessories with nods to the ‘90s, captioned, “Daniel Lee’s Bottega!!! Alright alright alright.” With this post, and many similar ones that bubbled up on Instagram, you could just sense the anticipation for Lee’s designs to enter the fashion space.
An alum of Phoebe Philo's Céline, 32-year-old creative director Daniel Lee brings to Bottega Veneta a spot-on sense of what women want to wear. It’s a modern, minimal aesthetic that echoes many of the things Philophiles are craving from fashion, but with a spin that is very much his own. It’s a sophisticated and modern approach to design that feels very 2019—all while preserving the heritage of the Italian brand. There’s no doubt in my mind about the It factor of the brand that already exists in the 2019 fashion space, and I only expect it to be magnified as the year continues. Ahead, read about exactly why.
1. It's just what Philophiles want in 2019.
The fashion world has been bemoaning Phoebe Philo's exit at Celine and the minimal, modern aesthetic she brought to the brand. Hence, the rise of @oldceline—an Instagram dedicated to the Philo's years at the helm of the label. A veteran of Old Céline, Bottega Veneta's creative director, Daniel Lee, brings that minimal sensibility and a fresh perspective on fashion to the brand. Emphasizing this point, The RealReal's women's category director, Sasha Skoda, explained, "Bottega Veneta is a brand we will have our eye on when Daniel Lee's new designs hit stores for pre-fall. All the Philophiles who made Old Céline a thing will definitely be coveting those pieces."
Bottega Veneta's spring 2019 campaign, lensed by Tyrone Lebon, set the tone for Daniel Lee's new creative vision.
Neutral tones—one of spring 2019's key trends—is a central theme of the collection and the campaign.
Shot on the island of Ischia, the campaign taps into the brand's Italian roots.
2. Two words: The Pouch.
Mark my words, The Pouch will be a 2019 It bag. Recently dropped on Net-a-Porter, the leather clutch already sold out on the luxury retailer's website—early evidence of its already cult status. MyTheresa's fashion buying director, Tiffany Hsu, has also lauded it as a must-buy bag, explaining to Who What Wear, "Bottega Veneta is one of the most iconic and luxurious brands in the fashion industry, and I am truly happy to see that the brand did an amazing job with its S/S 19 accessories—especially The Pouch clutch, which is one of the It bags for this season." She went on to detail exactly why: "The leather is extremely soft, and The Pouch has the perfect shape and size to wear from day to eve. Every cool girl will have it, and we will see this style everywhere over summer, I believe. Bottega is such a heritage label, and one simply keeps such items forever, so I am sure it will stay around for years."
Shop The Pouch bag:
3. Fashion insiders have been eagerly awaiting the collection drop.
The moment images were released from Daniel Lee's 2019 collections, fashion insiders began singing their praises for the new vision at Bottega Veneta. Man Repeller's Leandra Medine, street style darling Pernille Teisbaek, and countless others have shown their support for the brand—even before any product was released.
4. It's already landing on the fashion scene.
Pieces from Bottega Veneta's spring 2019 collection have just started dropping at retailers in the last week, but some have already been spotted all over Instagram and the street style scene.
Next, see the 13 fashion brands I wear on repeat.
