Daniel Lee, the creative director responsible for flipping Bottega Veneta on its head, is going out with a very 'Lee' bang, with the release of his final collection with the luxury Italian brand, Wardrobe 03.

Wardrobe 03 – the break in between Salon collections that offer a capsule of pieces fit for everyday wear – leans back on the fundamentals of the new Bottega DNA. Steeped in escapism and fun, this is where the collection starts. A purveying mood alongside functional and tactile dressing themes, Lee blurs the lines between art and utility in his signature applications.

 

Denim sets in classic blue are treated with contrast "Bottega green" stitching along hemlines and pockets; a playful print of warped triangles is applied to woven mini dresses, swimsuits, shirts, jackets, shoes, and bags. A new jacquard, seen on pants and jacket sets has been developed from a pipe cleaner material reminiscent of velvet that captures colours and light in different ways, alluding to the idea of playfulness and experimentation.

The collection is as complete as it is fantastical, a full range of rainbow colours that start with black and white and slowly bleed into vibrant hues of reds, pinks, canary yellow, acid green and punchy turquoise before transitioning into silvers and blacks to ground the offering.

 

Mini dresses are embellished and crafted out of mirrored chainmail, crystal mesh, and technical crotchet yarn woven with tonal cowrie shells that are offered with matching accessories, namely footwear, to allow the wearer to continue one idea from head to toe.

New knitwear silhouettes are seen alongside Lee's signature shapes, with the entire collection taking on an air of humour about it. This feels as though, whether planned or not, Lee is leaving his mark on the house with a final, overtly fun release. Lee was here, with his squared off heels and pastel renditions; acid green injections and oversized silhouettes, filling the gaps in fashion for fun to coexist with a feeling of quiet confidence.

 

With Bottega Veneta's newly appointed creative director, Matthieu Blazy waiting in the wings, we can only hope to see further exploration into the application of pop in fashion.