Tomas Maier – the designer of Bottega Veneta, decided to present the fall-collection in New York because of the opening of a flagship-store in the Big Apple. Maier’s color-palette worked the wearable side of flamboyance — marigold, wine, purple and his silhouettes shunned citified cliché. He opted for relaxed shapes and intense surface interest. A skirt was embroidered with a demonstrative, artisanal riff on the cube motif. A dress featured two overlays of fabric cut away into geometric motifs; another contrasted shiny and velvet sequins. Fine outlines on dresses and skirts that at first glance looked like stitching were actually delicate chain embroideries.
While Maier referred to his tailoring as sharp, it had an off-beat zip, as in a double-breasted orange suit with multiple, demonstrative pockets. The coats were fabulous, almost all bonded fabrics that looked different outside and in, delivering that intimate luxury for which Bottega is famous: camel mohair and wool tiger stripes were bonded to satin; crinkled orchid satin to gray felt.
Maier’s men’s wear reflected a similar fusion of “notice me” confidence with adult sophistication. The designer focused on sportswear looks anchored by an impressive array of jackets and coats, including several shearlings printed with zebra stripes. The cube motif surfaced in a grid pattern etched on a red tailored jacket over bright yellow pants, as well as bold color blocks for pants and a coat.