Craft Meets Couture in Louise Trotter’s Bottega Veneta Debut
Raising the standard
Milan Fashion Week has been a whirlwind of change this season, with creative directors swapping seats and fashion houses bracing for fresh visions. But all eyes were on one appointment: Louise Trotter at Bottega Veneta. The English designer, formerly at Carven and Lacoste, is currently the only woman at the helm of a major luxury house.
She succeeds Matthieu Blazy, whose tenure left Bottega Veneta poised at a turning point. Trotter arrives with both credibility and a tall order: to carry the legacy forward while making it unmistakably hers.
Even before the runway lights dimmed, the invitation had already made its mark. A flat piece of leather transformed into a stitch-free, sculptural bag, arriving in guests’ hands as an object of intrigue—a tactile nod to Bottega Veneta’s craftsmanship. Familiar yet magnetic, it sparked conversation and heightened anticipation, hinting at the vision Trotter was about to reveal.
The Bottega Veneta Show invite is a bag with no stitches 🤯 pic.twitter.com/P4Av8Hcv2q
— Outlander Magazine (@StreetFashion01) September 26, 2025
On Saturday evening, a warehouse-like space came alive in a riot of light and colour. White walls stretched endlessly, while vibrant glass seats scattered light like jewels. The front row was a gallery of luminaries—Michelle Yeoh, Owen Cooper, BTS’s RM, Uma Thurman, and Stray Kids’ I.N—drawing every gaze.
Steve McQueen’s 66-76 set a hypnotic rhythm as Trotter unveiled her first looks. A knot-detailed trench, a crinkled leather apron dress, and an Intrecciato trench with a feathered collar appeared on the runway. Technique and texture spoke louder than words. Button-up shirts collided with swinging tassel skirts, while sharply tailored suits transformed through unexpected fabrics. Fibreglass sweaters in silver-blue, red, and orange followed. Rigid yet fluid, architectural yet alive, they commanded the runway with every movement.
The narrative extended to accessories, where shoes and bags punctuated motion and form. Woven loafers, supple leather ankle boots, and glossy clogs—some edged with studs—moved with energy across the runway. Bags were equally daring: the Lauren stretched into new proportions, the Knot softened into a pliant form, and the Cabat was reimagined as a clutch. New silhouettes followed—the Squash, the Framed Tote, the Crafty Basket—turning artisanal skill into theatre and breathing life into every corner of the show.
The collection was a deft interplay of past and present, shaped by a woman designer’s perspective that lent it distinctive character. Each piece felt intentional, each silhouette purposeful, leaving no doubt that Bottega Veneta is in assured hands.
In case you missed it, watch the full show here.
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