Bottega Veneta, the storied Italian house, recently took its spring/summer 2022 show to the American city of Detroit. In a show called Salon 03, creative director Daniel Lee looked to his own roots in industrial Leeds, and the car-making history of Detroit, to create a collection that leaned on a shared past, now sprinkled with a dusting of Americana. A co-ed show, the 55 looks opened with a parade in all-white, from laid-back shirt dresses to knitted tracksuits and even a white halterneck dress that brought to mind Marilyn Monroe’s famous <i>Seven Year Itch</i> air-vent moment. The industrial heritage of the city came through in the workwear; loose-fit trousers and shirts in dark denim and utility grey, while others were shot through with metal thread, or in glossy patent for a more luxurious feel. Fitted dresses arrived in heavy knitted fabrics in shades of tangy lime, lemon yellow or dark metal that felt covered yet shapely, while in a nod to the street culture of the US, more tracksuits arrived now made from technical woven fabric to echo the famous intrecciato woven leather Bottega has made its own. Showing that dressing down can be dressing up, Lee delivered simple above-the-knee dresses in sequins of gold or blueberry, while a single-breasted suit was made from shimmery molten pewter. Short and sassy evening mini dresses were cut at a slant, either in matt knit or with a glistening front ruffle, while men's evening looks were tracksuits in shiny cloth, and great puffed sleeves. Adept at stripping away frippery for a simplified silhouette, Lee drove the point home with overcoats made from oversized anoraks, drawn in at the waist for comfy volume. Aside from the show, under Lee's guidance, Bottega Veneta has also opened the Bottega Firehouse, a creative space that will run until January 2022. Inviting Detroit artists to create site-specific works, the result is a reading room by Asmaa Walton, a record store by Underground Music Academy and furnishings by Donut Shop.
