MILAN (AP) — Louise Trotter’s debut as creative director at Bottega Veneta on Saturday contained moments of fantasy most evident in the fringe that bounced on coats and swirled like shiny bristles on glimmering skirts and jackets.
Trotter, a British designer who joined Bottega Veneta in January, is one of four creative directors who made their hotly awaited debuts in Milan this season, following Demna at Gucci, Simone Bellotti at Jil Sander and Dario Vitale at Versace.
‘Bottega’ means workshop
Bottega Veneta has some of the finest craftspeople in Italian luxury, and Trotter said they were an inspiration to her Spring-Summer 2026 collection.
“I’m in the candy box,’’ said Trotter, who joined Bottega in January and previously was creative director at Joseph, Lacoste and then Carven. “It has been the most wonderful, wonderful entrance into this house, to discover the crafts, the hands, the willingness to always say: ‘Let’s try.’ It’s just a wonder.’’
Some of the volumes were inspired by the artisans in the Veneto atelier who would work with piles of leather at their feet; Trotter said she wanted to create garments that fit the body at the bust, waist and hip, but were also sculptural, held away from the body, at times.
The collection veered from the functional Navy blue peacoat with knotted leather detailing that opened the show, to layers and layers of white fringe coat worn with a soft popcorn knit collar.
Bottega's knots and weaves
Trotter worked in the Bottega Veneta codes of the intreccio weave and the knot, employing wool, leathers and satins. The intreccio showed up as coats and trousers as well as bags, and the knot defined bags and slip-on shoes.
Big soft bags paid homage to the house’s 1966-1977 era, where Trotter discovered bags in the archives that had a functionality that accompanied “the liberation of women at the time.”
“This show was really about the journey and life of Bottega Veneta,’’ Trotter said. “I really wanted to talk about Bottega Veneta as a living person.’’
K-pop fever
While the show was strictly restricted to invited guests, outside a crowd of lively K-pop fans waited to catch a glimpse of RM, leader of the K-pop boy band BTS.