It says a lot about the state of modern luxury and the vast changes occurring in menswear when a house known for timeless, labelless luxury - in a nutshell, great tailoring, loafers and woven leather goods - shows a collection with barely a pair of full length trousers in site. Such was the celebration of shorts that one look comprised just of a a simple pair of rolled up joggers-cum-pyjama-pants - no top, no accessories, just a discrete pair of shoes that looked like slipper socks. It may be a summer collection, but this shows the true triumph of casual.
Tomas Maier, the Bottega Veneta's creative directer, had been pondering athleticism and the body in movement, hence the pieces that suggested his man was en route to the gym. Every look saw proportions clashed, with a body-con top worn with baggy pants, or vice versa, suggesting sporty men mid changing. To compliment the relaxed feel, the palette had been stripped back to soft, soothing shades like peachy pink, sand and faded olive green.
Such was the sense of ease that at points the pieces even veered into the territory of super-cosy sweet infantile pjs - note those raglan-detail tops and cashmere knits. But that's being picky. All in all, this was a strong collection, with a clear point of view that responded to the way men are actually wearing normal clothes, while still offering us some good fashion. Maier's looked around and noticed that everywhere on the street shorts are worn with suit jackets and formal outerwear is regularly discarded in favour of a simple sweater. But crucially he's also picked up on the fact that these modern dressing patterns don't mean men no longer want to spend, they'd just rather buy something they'd actually wear rather than a trussed-up stuffy look for peacocking in. Luxury can still be luxury while being relevant.
