Rosemarie Trockel On Collaborating With Bottega Veneta For Salon 01
The German artist revealed what it was like to work with creative director Daniel Lee for the unveiling of the new collection…
2020 has been a year of challenges like no other, as it tested the creative limits of designers around the world. With social distancing firmly in place and large gatherings banned, fashion weeks quickly evolved into a series of digital presentations and virtual shows, becoming an intimate affair between the collection’s pieces and guests who were able to attend in person.
Never before were so few invited to some of the most important events within the annual fashion calendar – and this also rang true for the unveiling of Bottega Veneta’s most recent collection.
Presented to a small audience of tastemakers at Sadler’s Wells theatre in London on October 9, the Italian luxury fashion house’s creative director Daniel Lee showcased Salon 01 to the likes of Skepta and Swedish singer-songwriter Neneh Cherry, along with other artists and industry insiders.
While the rest of the word had to wait until early December to catch a glimpse of the collection – in the form of a digital presentation – German conceptual artist Rosemarie Trockel, who collaborated with Daniel Lee and his team in the unveiling of the collection — specifically in the creation of Book 02, shared her thoughts on both the collection and working closely with the creative director.
“My first and also most recent impression of Daniel Lee was and is of an almost silent gentle presence with an extreme focus on his work,” says Rosemarie, referring to what it was like working with the creative director. “He never wastes his breath on superfluous chatter. During our exchange there was an almost daily flow of objects coming from Milan, both material experiments and finished garments, and in return my photographic impressions and surreal juxtapositions virtually communicated to Daniel and his team.”
She also noted that with his “… artisanal discipline he operates in a sphere usually reserved for artists. In contrast to many name designers, he modestly removes his own image from the discourse and instead animates the actual pieces of clothing.”
To view the full collection, watch the digital presentation here.
Lead image: Rosemarie Trockel by Curtis Anderson