Tomas Maier was feeling serious and sombre this Autumn/Winter 2013. In his press release he nodded at the bleak economic climes, stating, 'It is a serious moment, a time when work feels like a clear priority'.
It always makes for awkward viewing when high fashion tries to get recession-ready. Bottega Veneta is a brand that prides itself on timeless, label-less luxury - that's a world of tissue-paper wrapped dreams, not a place of purse pinching and account checking. So while the black, plum and grey tailoring was beautiful, it seemed so very out of place and even out of touch with both the Bottega Veneta shopper and those more widely affected by genuine financial plight, for whom a brand like this will never been accessible, let alone practical for day to day workwear. While some aspects of this sobriety may catch on with Bottega's smart, polished shopper - the subtly printed suits had a certain panache and the lashings of cashmere stood out as particularly beautiful - Maier would have been wise to have included some more light-hearted, luxurious treats for his fan base, after all, no matter what your bank balance, no one likes to be reminded of dark times.
