Like so many modern luxury houses, Bottega Veneta has gone through plenty of changes in the past decade—namely, four different creative directors. Whereas in some cases that could lead to discordant brand messaging, the Kering-owned Italian house has remained steadfast in its craftsmanship roots, giving each designer shared language to work with, not to mention a starting point. While they’ve interpreted the codes in their own way (see: Daniel Lee’s blockbuster accessories and Matthieu Blazy’s magic material manipulation), each of their versions of Bottega Veneta (New Bottega and New-New Bottega, if you will) feel in conversation with one another.
Louise Trotter’s hallmark has been creating movement through her clothes. The standout pieces in her inaugural collection last spring were covered in rich, colorful fringe made from recycled fiberglass, which bounced as the models walked down the runway. Her fall 2026 offering expanded on this idea with new materials that mimic the look of fur. It all brings a dynamism to the silhouette she’s establishing at Bottega, one that’s longer, more covered-up, and conveys a different flavor of desire.
This season, the movement came in many more forms of fringe—cascading from the shoulders of blouses, hanging off shoulder bags, adorning a wrap-waist trench from collar to hem. Elsewhere, it emerged from clever cuts and draping, from the high-side slit on a skirt that allowed it to balloon with each step or the loose, silky trousers that balanced out the structure of the longline blazer up top.
Trotter also doubled down on her love of headwear. This season’s toppers felt almost like paper hats, except rendered in fine crochet. They emphasized the playful pragmatism that underlined a lot of the collection: Individually, the pieces are precise and practical, yet the way they’re paired and presented relaxes them, like how a buttoned shirt would be left undone to reveal a bra or camisole underneath, but be tucked into a fitted skirt or high-waisted trouser. “There is this sense of being a little bit undone,” Trotter told WWD, describing “a language between things being quite polished and a language with things being more organic.”
That extended to accessories, too. Most shoes stayed low to the ground, in the form of leather slip-ons and fringed tie-up sandals. The bags, for the most part, are large but flat and narrow—for carrying only what you need and leaving the rest at home.
The front row was filled with Bottega Veneta favorites, including Julianne Moore, Tyler the Creator, and Jacob Elordi. It must’ve been particularly exciting for the latter, who had a pretty great view to watch his rumored girlfriend Kendall Jenner close the show. Now there’s a premise for a modern romance novel.
