Bottega Veneta Goes For Gold in Miami Beach

For Bottega Veneta’s Fall/Winter 2019 campaign, the photographer Tyrone Lebon shot a reflective, mirror-plated Lamborghini suspended behind (or miniaturized with) the models and their clothing. It was of a memorable hue; a rich, yellow, burns-in-the-sun kind of gold that did not so much scream out an idea of luxury as it did… well, propel it skyward.

The automobile was a welcome and unexpected complement to designer Daniel Lee’s vision for the Milan-based house; his approach is less under-the-radar than the B.V. of years past. The brand is still known for it’s “stealth wealth” vibe, but, per one example, its intrecciato woven leather is now bigger, bolder, and more noticeable.

So far, Lee’s aesthetic balances the company’s famed discretion with a newfound sort of horsepower—Lamborghini notwithstanding. In fact, just a few days ago, the designer won four British Fashion Awards for what he’s achieved since taking the creative lead in 2018.

That golden aura was transported across the Atlantic last night to Miami Beach, where Bottega Veneta took over a Washington Avenue diner, wrapped it in halcyon foil, and hosted a cocktail party to fete the ribbon-cutting of the company’s brand new store in the Miami Design District. Lee was in town and guests included Kate Bosworth, Princess Nokia, Richie Shazam and Paloma Elsesser, among others.

The Bottega Diner, a pop-up restaurant and bar that will remain open until December 14, furthered Lee’s thinking as to what highbrow and elevated can be. The tactic takes a confident sightline down a unique, gilded premise: if Bottega Veneta can make the lowly diner feel special and memorable, Lee is onto something really, frankly, powerful. It’s a subtle suggestion that anything can really be luxurious, when handled correctly and, of course, bathed in a bit of gold.