Roughly five months later, Daniel Lee has finally lifted the veil on his controversial Salon 02 collection for Bottega Veneta. With the collection, Lee’s metier has come in full circle where he once again showcases his capability to turn a supposedly low-profile luxury brand into the talk of fashion industry. His secret ingredients to keep the relevance of the brand like approaching new generations of consumers with cult accessories defined by understated modernity and creating symbols of belonging that people can instantly be associated with – the distinctive cuts, intrecciato weave and triangular hardware are all visible in this collection.
Akin to our conflicted feelings towards the relaxed SOP, the collection occupies two ends of the spectrum: restrained and lively. In the first half of the collection, Lee has taken on it with a pared-down approach, shedding light on the unconventional silhouettes – exaggerated shoulders, sculpted torso and nipped waist. Satisfying our itch of dressing up, Lee goes all out in the second half, all done in the manner of maximum visual impact. Sleeves of knitwear get blown up in volume; the faux fur coat is designed as if it is meant for the Met Gala; a teal coat calls up the works of Jeff Koons, and a pair of pants is decorated with zip embellishment that opens up to the waist.
