Over the last few seasons, Bottega Veneta creative director Tomas Maier has been experimenting with the casual side of luxury. Moving away from stiff or buttoned up clothing, Maier seems more attune than ever to his customers' increasingly informal lifestyle and her affinity for working out. The Bottega Veneta woman is no longer spending hours preparing for her evening affair — day wear (and sportswear) is now the name of the game. When it’s tackled by someone with Maier’s skill and technical caliber, it becomes a decidedly new and engaging proposition. In Maier’s hands, sweat pants and leggings look so well put together that they appear almost credible as options for the office. Leotard-like bathing suits, worn with long nubby knits and t-strap sandals have an air of retro chic while well-tailored, loose dark denim trousers look nothing like their overplayed, unattractive step-sisters (known to the rest of the world as distressed, low rise jeans). Despite easy and approachable silhouettes, the workmanship on sequin embroideries, macramé, and tulle trimmed gingham was, as always, immaculate and it’s what drives these casually tuned clothes into a class of their own.
Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans
