Brands and independent publishing: the Bottega Veneta case

Today brands play a role in the promotion and diffusion of independent fashion publishing which seems to be experiencing a new golden age – the Bottega Veneta fanzine

Bottega Veneta presents the collection Summer 24 with a new fanzine 

«An Odyssey, a free and hopeful journey», with these words Matthieu Blazy, creative director of Bottega Veneta, describes its Summer 24 collection. The first one signed by the French designer in which the focus shifts from Italy to the world, drawing from every continent and culture in a journey which is imaginary and physical at the same time.

To celebrate this new chapter and reveal its creative background, Bottega Veneta has created a new fanzine which collects several photographs by Alec Soth, the American photographer who shot the Summer 24 campaign in Tokyo. The fanzine consists of four volumes enclosed in a printed slipcase featuring the same illustrated map which covered the floor of the Summer 24 fashion show.

Concreteness and fantastic imagery come together in the fourth Bottega Veneta fanzine 

The fanzine does not only comprise of backstage images, sketches, stickers, and a travel notebook, but also photographs of some Tokyo playgrounds and their funny structures inspired by natural subjects shot by Alec Soth to enhance the adventurous spirit of the publication and of the brand itself. On the ceramic tile carpet designed by Bureau Betak for the fashion show of last September, the models not only showed off a series of charming looks, but a manifesto of contemporary society and the new way we live and dream in our everyday life, from office hours to evening parties. 

In the Summer 24 collection, ruffles, fringes, and unexpected textures alternate with structured garments and absolute rigor. And the recently presented fanzine unites these two worlds through photographic language and an ironic communicative code which aims to engage and put readers at the center of the creative universe and international community of the Italian maison. 

How Matthieu Blazy transformed Bottega Veneta between ethics and aesthetics

Eclecticism has always been inherent in Blazy’s creative flair, son of a historian and an art expert, trained in fashion alongside Raf Simons, Phoebe Philo, and the creative team of Maison Martin Margiela. Shortly after arriving at Bottega Veneta in 2021, he brought together his team to redefine the identity of the brand, which has always been an illustrious spokesperson for made- in-Italy tailoring and craftsmanship.

Since then, all his collections have paid homage to traditionalism combined with innovation, with structured, almost architectural garments, and extravagant and conceptual expedients. Drawing from the world of art and design, he developed winning collaborations with international creatives. One for all Gaetano Pesce, who created the colored seats and the resin catwalk for the Summer 23 fashion show on which the models walked in a sort of kaleidoscopic parade, which was at the same time a hymn to the heritage of Bottega Veneta and to the diversity of humankind. 

Alec Soth, the photographic genius behind Bottega Veneta’s latest fanzine

It does not come as a surprise that for this editorial project and the related fashion campaign the choice fell on Soth. The American photographer and member of Magnum is famous for his “on the road” style and for his “unusual and obsessively banal images of modern America, according to The Guardian art critic Hannah Booth. Throughout his career, he was able to translate his stylistic code to other subjects and cultures without losing his strong instinct for the relationship between narrative and metaphor.

From March 29 to April 14, the brand will also host a Soth exhibition at Seeen, Tokyo. Tokyo Playtime will feature images from the Summer 24 campaign as well as images shot by Soth in Japan throughout his career. Among his most interesting projects created in Japan is Lost in Translation. On assignment for New York Times Voyages the photographer lived in his Tokyo hotel for five days in order to recreate his own version of Sofia Coppola’s seminal film.

Air Afrique and Butt. Bottega Veneta’s commitment to supporting independent publishing

The fanzine created for the Summer 24 collection is only the latest chapter of a process which began a few years ago under Blazy’s creative direction, which found in paper a new – so to speak – tool to convey the vision and values of the brand. Similar editorial projects had been carried out, for example, to enclose the creative synergy with Pesce in a single publication and on occasion of the launch of the Winter 23 collection, the conclusion of the so-called “Italy trilogy”, and of the Summer 23 collection, that time dedicated to Kate Moss’ iconic character, the designer’s muse.

But Bottega Veneta’s commitment to publishing, and especially independent publishing, goes far beyond the production of fanzines and enters the world of patronage. First by relaunching the iconic queer magazine Butt and then by supporting young independent realities such as Magma, which winks at the tradition of the great art magazines of the 20th century, and Air Afrique, which promotes Afro-diasporic art and debate. In order to strengthen its presence in the publishing sector, Bottega Veneta has made its fourth fanzine available for free in selected bookstores globally, as well as in Bottega Veneta stores worldwide.

Ethics and aesthetics – Independent magazines can count on communities

In recent years the publishing sector has been subject to many changes both in terms of content production and methods of use. Some even speak of a crisis in traditional publishing, that of the large publishing groups, while the small independent realities appear to be in excellent health. The fashion industry plays an important role in the promotion and dissemination of these publications which despite being released in limited run, enjoy great freedom in terms of editorial and communication strategies.

Through these independent realities and self-produced fanzines, established and emerging fashion brands can also secure a less mainstream positioning and communicate their ethical and aesthetic values in an impactful way. Not to mention that independent magazines can count on communities of loyal readers who identify with their codes and style. 

To be part of a community – the value of people in fashion today

In recent years, and especially since fashion began to actively respond to the needs and concerns of society, the concept of community has taken on new contours and has established itself as a new fundamental asset for the growth and success of a brand. The key word is “identity”: that set of values constituting the genetic heritage of the brand and which must be effectively conveyed to the public. 

In this framework, independent publishing stands out for its spasmodic attention to detail – both on an aesthetic and content level – and for the status of authorship and prestige which derives from the privilege of being a lone voice. And in a historical period in which consumers are constantly bombarded with visual inputs and information, being able to provide them with tailored contents and having a strong brand around which an active and composite collective subject gravitates, are strategic assets which should not be underestimated. 

Other striking examples of forays between fashion and publishing

Despite its novel approach, Bottega Veneta was not the first major brand to foray into the world of publishing. Recently, Ferragamo launched Spirit, a limited edition fanzine to discover Maximilia Davis’ aspirations for the brand and some archive images. When Valentino returned to show in Milan, Pierpaolo Piccioli put in place the re-semanticization of the logo from which the Valentino Garavani VLOGO Signature artbook was born; in 2021 Gucci created the fanzine Gucci Love, Love & Love signed by photographer Brad Elterman, while under the new creative direction of Sabato De Sarno, it released the first two chapters of Gucci Prospettive, the editorial project dedicated to Milan.

Among the fresh voices of the fashion scene, in 2023 Sunnei collaborated with an unnamed independent magazine – the name changes with each issue – in the creation of MEDIA, the issue devoted to the digital world; a year before Marco Rambaldi commissioned the fanzine Brucia, Ragazzo Brucia!, curated by the artist Beatrice Favaretto, a manifesto of the brand and the values which animate it, from inclusiveness to the desire to overturn classic canons. Demonstrating that not even the new generations are immune to the romantic charm of printed paper.

Bottega Veneta

Bottega Veneta is an Italian company operating in the luxury goods sector and renowned for its leather products. Founded in 1966 in Vicenza, Italy, today it is part of the Kering group. In 2021 the creative direction was entrusted to designer Matthieu Blazy.

Agnese Torres