Absent from the rack at Bottega Veneta’s comprehensive Milan presentation of 70-or-so Pre-Spring men’s and women’s looks—plus bags, shoes, jewelry, shades, and other accessories—was a men’s reverse racerback black rib vest worn above a tailored black pant and beefy black loafer. It was a right, old nipple-flasher. As we searched in vain for the garment (it was en route from the atelier) and contemplated its image this morning, Daniel Lee ventured: “You’ve got to have a bit of humor.” Then he added this aside: “I think there’s a bit of misconception around me as well, that I am super serious because I’m not on Instagram. I just don’t like it [Instagram], but that doesn’t mean I’m serious!”
As we moved on to a thin rib-knit sweater in a dense and slightly spongy black cotton that featured a knotted extrusion running from outside the right shoulder into an opening by the left, Lee was asked if there was any other reason for the seriousness misconception. “I guess it’s because of the kind of clothes that I make….and Bottega is a very grown-up house, for sure. And I do think in the market right now there is a space for that which is very relevant. But it is something we can have some fun with, too—just thought-through fun.”
Bradford-raised Englishman Lee was made creative director at this most sophisticated but undeniably austere of Italian houses only 11 months ago. Early reactions have been positive where it counts most: ready-to-wear sales have since tripled across all markets and now make up 15% of total revenue. Yet that doesn’t mean that Lee—who seemed relaxed and affable despite the black-suited pin-drop atmosphere of BV’s corporate culture—is afraid to change lanes when the instinct grabs him. He said: “This season…we stepped back and analyzed what had worked so far, what was strong and also where I felt we needed to improve.”
Which leads back to that notion of seriousness. Of his last collection, Lee said: “I didn’t think it was so successful when things became too cool and hardened. I don’t think that really reflected me. Bottega Veneta, and Italian culture in general, is something that feels very warm, friendly, and inviting to me.”
That this review hands a lot of quote space to Lee reflects that he has seemed an enigmatic presence since arriving here. There is that lack of a social-media second life, plus his decision not to speak after his debut runway collection, and the fact that his last gig was at Celine—a pre-BV CV entry that brings its own particularly loaded flavor of scrutiny. Yet during the time not squandered posting Facetuned vacay selfies, Lee has evidently drilled deep to mine some brand-consistent building blocks with which to reconstruct Bottega Veneta his way.