MASTERY OF BOTTEGA VENETA

Louise Trotter’s highly anticipated debut for Bottega Veneta at Milan Fashion Week was a triumphant return to the brand’s core principles, offering a fresh, distinctly feminine take on the house’s artisanal heritage. The Spring/Summer 2026 collection was lauded by critics and insiders as a “self-assured debut” and “the strongest of Milan Fashion Week,” blending commercial appeal with awe-inspiring craftsmanship and a focus on “soft functionality”.

At the heart of the collection was a celebration of the iconic Intrecciato weave, which Trotter described as the “language of Bottega Veneta” and a metaphor for collaboration. This signature technique was applied with remarkable innovation:

A dramatic, floor-length brown leather cape, hand-woven from 3-mm strips of nappa, reportedly took over 4,000 hours and 50 artisans to complete, highlighting a commitment to couture-level detail.

Trotter introduced an unexpected material: colorful strands of recycled fiberglass. These were fashioned into ethereal, fuzzy skirts and chubbies that shimmered and moved with a captivating, almost “jellyfish” fluidity, contrasting playfully with the collection’s classic elements.

As one of the few women at the helm of a major luxury house, Trotter offered a perspective that felt grounded in the reality of what women want to wear. The silhouettes were modern and movement-oriented, featuring oversized tailoring that was simultaneously sharp and comfortable.

Louise Trotter’s debut for Bottega Veneta paid tribute to Laura Braggion, the house’s first female creative lead, who helped open its New York store in 1972 and later joined Andy Warhol’s Factory in the 1980s. Trotter’s collection wove Braggion’s journey—Italian roots, New York liberation, artistic freedom—into a narrative of quiet strength, craftsmanship, and modern femininity. A powerful homage to a pioneering woman finally getting her due.

‘I like that the “Bottega” is a workshop – one with a long and multifaceted history in Italy,’ Trotter said. ‘It involves the collective effort of craft; with craftsmanship, the people who make it, and the people who wear it matter. It’s where the hand and the heart become one.’

‘The language of Bottega Veneta is intrecciato. And it is a metaphor,’ said Trotter. ‘It is two different strips woven together that become stronger – the two things make a stronger whole. Collaboration and connectivity run throughout this house and its history, from its beginnings to what it is now. It’s about different places, different people, male and female – individual parts and stories intertwined to make a stronger whole.’

Nappa leather trenches and cotton gowns were crafted to flatter without discomfort, emphasizing movement and ease. The tailoring balanced structure, like the return of powerful shoulders, with a natural flow and softness.

Bags remained a key focus, with updates to classics like the Lauren clutch (famously carried by Lauren Hutton in American Gigolo) and new, practical shapes such as the elongated Framed Tote and the squashy Crafty Basket, designed to accommodate a laptop.

The show itself was an immersive event. Guests sat on jewel-toned, hand-blown Murano glass stools (a nod to the brand’s Venetian roots) and experienced an “aural Intrecciato”: a custom soundtrack by Oscar-winning director Steve McQueen that spliced Nina Simone and David Bowie’s versions of “Wild Is the Wind”.

Trotter’s debut was widely viewed as a confident and elegant new chapter for Bottega Veneta, one that honours its rich history of craft while moving the house forward with a relevant and highly desirable vision.

Vicky Krieps and Julianne Moore brought quiet glamour to the front row at Bottega Veneta’s Milan show—both long-time supporters of the house and early wearers of Louise Trotter’s debut designs.

Their presence added depth to a collection rooted in heritage, artistry, and the legacy of Laura Braggion—a fitting tribute, witnessed by two women who embody intelligent, understated elegance.