Bottega Veneta may have started the square toe trend, but it’s already moved on for fall ’20.
Well, not exactly. At the Italian luxury leather goods brand’s runway show Saturday at Milan Fashion Week, there were still a few, in sharply angled boots (instead of the ducked-billed quilted pumps and sandals of spring ’20).
But the biggest shoe news for fashion’s current It brand was a series of heavy boots with a curved, overly-exaggerated toe that slightly resembled the shoes of… Ronald McDonald.
It wasn’t the first time Bottega’s clodhoppers have made an appearance. In the brand’s pre-fall ’20 collection, the shape could be seen on a pair of woven mules, underneath a sequin sheath dress, or peeking out of a blue fringy skirt. The fringe, sequins and clown shoes all came front-and-center for fall ’20, in a show that furthered the conversation on — and the collective lust for — how Bottega is creating a new fashion narrative.
It’s hard to believe that it was only a year ago that creative director Daniel Lee presented his debut men’s and women’s collections for Bottega. Since then, his footwear and accessories (and ready-to-wear, for that matter) have ranked number one on the lists of editors, buyers and influencers alike, capturing an elusive mix of quiet luxury and cutting edge. And it’s quilted leather square-toed sandals are literally the No. 1 most sought-after women’s fashion product in the world, according to an October 2019 report from Lyst.
This season saw a further introduction of colors (the Italians still seem to love lime green) and textures in the aforementioned sequins and swingy fringe, plus some crystal detailing and more variations on the brand’s signature intrecciato leather weaving For spring ’20 it was shown on the puffed leather sandals. This time, it popped up in puffy quilted vests in pale pink (who knew that Millennial pink would make a comeback?).
All in all, it was a collection with a bit of something for everyone. Bottega fans: Take your pick.
