From The Pouch To The Cassette, Shop Daniel Lee’s Greatest Bottega Hits
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The news that Daniel Lee and Bottega Veneta are parting ways will have been a devastating blow to Rihanna, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, and Hailey Bieber, who have almost exclusively carried the designer’s wildly successful handbags since his inimitable The Pouch was born. From his debut pre-fall 2019 collection onwards, Lee delivered hit after hit on the accessories front. He made Bottega a part of the conversation again. Some would argue Lee led it. His secret? Supersizing the brand’s intrecciato weave.
In its new blown-up proportions, the bag—a crafty house staple since the ’60s—looked modern and fresh. “I like things that are bold and quite direct,” he told British Vogue’s Sarah Harris a few seasons into his tenure. The Cassette, another squishy bag original, was astronomically successful among fashion editors, who pledged allegiance to the “stealth wealth” logo-less style, while influencers snapped up the padded, cartoonish version more suited to peacocking. “His are clothes that simply make you look like a better, more expensive-looking version of you,” continued Harris. “And that kind of a pull is a powerful thing.”
The shoes were also in a league of their own. From Lee’s first Stretch sandals, which featured what would become his signature chunky gold chain, to the cushioned BV Lido heels that matched the buttery-soft bags, Bottega won the footwear game owing to the rainbow of colors and multiple heel heights available. His Puddle boots, which spearheaded the Wellington revival, also put Bottega Veneta in front of a new audience. The world found out that rappers, who Lee frequently invited to his intimate salon shows, had a penchant for practical rubber soles. Even Croc devotee Justin Bieber bought in.
The textural mash-up and wonderful tactility of Lee’s work of course extended to the clothes–how we’ll miss the swish of those lemon tasseled coats that swept the floor like jellyfish, and the car-wash hem skirt suits in fruit-bowl shades—but its his agenda-setting accessories that will define his short tenure. Here, Daniel Lee’s greatest hits at #NewBottega, the hashtag that neatly sums up the energy he brought to the house.
