54 posts tagged “fashion”
Posted by Marly on tPF, published Nov. 13 '06 in The Independent News.
Tomas Maier hates labels, but he's still transformed Bottega Veneta into a bestselling brand. Cat Callender meets the master of understated luxury
Tomas Maier is a stickler for details. But as he is Bottega Veneta's
creative director, you could say he is paid to obsess. "I cut the
labels out of my clothes for two reasons. One, because they itch. And
the second reason is that there is always someone who tries to look in
your clothes to see what you wear," explains Maier, whose deep voice is
a fusion of fashion-world ennui, elongated Teutonic vowels and a
clipped German delivery. "This always annoys me terribly. I find it
very uncomfortable when your jacket opens to reveal a little label and
you don't even realise it. And then it might also come across that you
are hanging your jacket over a chair to show that it's a Gucci jacket -
like, 'See, I have the money to buy a Gucci coat.' So I hate labels."
Finicky perhaps. But Maier's meticulous eye for details has paid off. Dubbed "the thinking man's Tom Ford", in the five years since the Gucci Group bought Bottega Veneta and hired Maier to head up the brand, he has transformed it from a tiny luxury handbag and luggage company with a chequered past into number two in Gucci's stable - overtaking YSL.
Founded in Vicenza in 1966, by the 1970s, Bottega Veneta had become the accessories label to flaunt. Not only was it the choice of the Studio 54 crowd [Andy Warhol bought his Christmas presents at the New York store] but Lauren Hutton's rich housewife in the film American Gigolo loved Bottega, too. But by the 1990s, the low-key brand had fallen into semi-obscurity thanks to that decade's focus on brash, flashy brands such as, ironically, Gucci.
In a bid to move back into the limelight in the early Noughties, Bottega harnessed creatives from the then underground London fashion scene (Katie Grand, Giles Deacon, Stuart Vevers) to inject the brand with some of their street cred. It was the height of logomania. The result was luxury ear muffs, chequerboard mink trench coats and leather swimsuits - great for Hoxtonites but not for Bottega's sophisticated customer base. Not long after, Gucci stepped in, bought two-thirds of the business for $60m and installed Maier to get the brand back on track.
Largely considered responsible for having redefined notions of luxury and ushering in a new wave of stealth-wealth chic, Maier's philosophy is one of "discreet individualism". "It's not obvious that our products are expensive and that is a good thing. I hate anything that looks like it cost a lot of money; it's distasteful. What you pay for are the materials and a unique make," says Maier, who previously spent eight years at Hermès and who - alongside his commitments at Bottega - designs his acclaimed eponymous collection which launched in 1998. "The appeal is that it's not in your face."
This ethos is mirrored by Bottega's slogan: "When your own initials are enough", and backed up by the brand's products. Exquisitely crafted, unassumingly luxurious, each garment and every accessory is designed in such a way so as never to usurp the identity of its owner. After all, Bottega people never brand themselves Bottega people - that would be far too vulgar.
"When I came here I took the logos off everything because there were logos on everything; e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. There were logos on every buckle, every clothing system, all the linings, everywhere," sneers Maier. He chose to focus on marrying anonymity with exclusivity. "If this was going to be a company that defines itself by the make, you should be able to recognise the product by the way it is made."
Take Bottega's fine jewellery that launched this winter: 18-carat, woven-yellow-gold chain necklaces and bracelets that are set with diamonds - a technique that hasn't been used in goldsmithing for some 10 years. Each takes a week to make in Maier's hometown, Pforzheim. They are then put through a tumbler for two days in order for the "nouveau riche gold lustre to disappear". Or the brand's signature Intrecciato woven-leather bag, the Cabat (translation: "work sack"), which takes two days for two artisans to make from about 70 leather strips. Or even the clothes that have entered an entirely new stratosphere in terms of expense: cashmere stretch dresses (£1,270), hand-painted cashmere cardigans (£755), tailored, embroidered, silk-crepe evening dresses (£3,235). While these garments might cost the earth, they are never showy.
As much as Maier hates logos, he would seem to abhor the banality of must-have, seasonal bags even more. For this reason, many of Bottega's staples remain, season in, season out. Even though the Cabat is its bestseller, just 200 are made each year. And that's a lot compared with the 50 Bandolero bags that are hand-stitched with pheasant feathers and created only annually.
In keeping with the brand's understated level of chic, Maier designs pieces that revolve around the notion of private pleasures. "Everything needs to be as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside," he says citing one flannel evening gown in the autumn/winter 2006 collection that is internally pleated and constructed with a bustier that provides structure but isn't visible from the outside.
This discreet obsession with life's little details is one that Maier would appear to share with his customers. You could say Bottega's loyal client following is fast becoming a kind of modern connoisseurship. A recent survey by the New York-based Luxury Institute revealed that Bottega outranked Hermès and Armani as the most prestigious fashion brand. Maier has also transformed the brand into a company whose revenue grew 66 per cent last year to $190m (£100m), whose profits tripled to $17m and whose sales are estimated to chalk up $238m this year alone.
As well as handbags, men's and women's ready-to-wear, the Bottega universe now also embraces homeware, a pets' collection, sunglasses, children's shoes and a Cruise collection, which is currently in stores. Thanks to the under-the-radar nature of Cruise, the line is very Bottega in spirit - not to mention a growing concept. "Cruise is a very interesting collection because it is turning into a season in its own right," explains Maier. "It's the longest of any season on the floor because it doesn't need ever to go on sale until early July."
Traditionally, Cruise was designed to outfit the jetset on their winter holidays in chic hotspots. However, these days, it acts as a mid-season stock drop to refresh stores with desirable pre-spring clothes in November, thus sating consumers' increasing thirst for the new. Although Cruise previously erred on the more classic side of style, today it's very much seen as a harbinger of what's to come. It has grown beyond its original remit (beachwear, chic cover-ups and cocktail dresses) to encompass everything from city suits to sundresses.
And there's always more to be pondered, evaluated and obsessed about, such as the intrinsic modernity of building pockets into eveningwear dresses. But surely this pursuit of perfection must take its toll? "If you let the little things go, there are so many little things that, at the end of the day, it becomes a big thing. So you have to be a perfectionist in every little detail. If you own a garment or a bag and there is one thing that is not right, it's not right."
But then, by the time Maier has finished with it, it's only ever spot on.
As attractive as my Nike leather trainers are, they're not really meant for working out, so today I got a pair of Adidas from the Novena outlet.
Frankly, the silver bits are a bit too "space-age" for my taste (though it's not as bad as the pair that was completely silver), but this was affordable and comfortable, and I guess nobody really looks at your shoes at the gym. Right?
My gym gear has also turned out to be too much for my large, stylish totes, so I needed something very light and very roomy. I didn't want a gym-bag gym bag. In the end I got this cross-body bag.
It looks quite structured in this photo, but it isn't really. It's soft and floppy in fact, and the pleats don't look so neatly ironed. The inside is a dark purple that contrasts very nicely. (There was a duffle too, which would hold a LOT, but really too big for somebody my height.)
The amusing thing about this bag is that there are 2 large slots, one at each end of the shoulder strap. SA says they are for water bottles. Er, I don't know about her, but I wouldn't carry 2 1-litre bottles of water to the gym (or to the yoga studio - adilibria is a yoga collection). There are also 2 strappy things, one on the shoulder strap and another on the side of the bag (visible in the photo). SA says they are for water bottles too! ROTFL. For the record, I carry a small water bottle only since there are always water coolers around.
ETA: I think I've solved the mystery :) The 2 straps are for strapping on your yoga mat! Yet another thing I never carry around...
After pondering it for goodness knows how long, it's finally in my hands. I first saw this bag (in khaki) carried by Aiingel, but it wasn't available in Singapore then.
To be honest, I'm not sure if I like the shape of it, but it certainly is unusual for the Le Pliage range. I do like how it buttons up, and the roomy inside pocket. I also like the fact that the opening is leather-trimmed. The size of the bag and the length of the straps are right too. I can confirm, though, that it isn't meant to be folded up. I mean, you can fold it, but you can't fasten it up. (So does it even qualify as a Le Pliage bag?)
First up are a couple of sale items I picked up at Massimo Dutti weeks ago and never posted about.
Then on Good Friday, I went crazy at Haji Lane (site needs some serious editing) while shopping there with Jean and JusChev. Lots of new boutiques have sprung up, and there will be more to come. According to the owner of the new M Boutique, many of the "vacant" units actually back Arab St shops and are currently used as storerooms by the shopkeepers. As Haji Lane rents go up, however, an increasing number of them are being leased out. The word is that the next Haji Lane flea will be on Labour Day; no doubt Soon Lee's blog will update us on that.
I think it's time to declare a shopping moratorium. I must have enough $ to shop in NYC and Tokyo if I do go in May!
My CP from Cannes, courtesy of Jade Greenleaf (thanks!) It cost S$145.29, and is made in Tunisia. A very practical shoulder bag for everyday use, being sturdier than the Le Pliage range, but still very lightweight. The matching leather also makes it a bit less casual, I think. It's not meant to be folded up, though.
Since I bought my Nine West Ealene boots a year ago in Melbourne, I haven't been able to find boots I like as much.
I love how much more comfortable they are than they look. I normally need elastic gores to accommodate my chunky calves, and the ones on these are elegantly hidden. My feet are wide in front too, and it's really quite amazing that they fit so nicely in the boots without feeling squashed or cramped up. And how about those heels? High, yet easy to walk in without looking clunky.
So perfect I got a second pair in black, and gave in recently to the temptation to stockpile more. 6pm.com had them heavily discounted, so I got another pair in dark brown:
and since there's an almost identical design (heels are different), I got that in this lovely "cognac" brown as well:
It cost me a small fortune to vPost the two pairs of boots over. That cancelled my savings out somewhat, but seeing as I'm still paying less than retail, I don't mind that much.
Death to pointy boots!
Got "infected" by the Coach sale madness in Dec, but remained sane enough to only splurge on factory outlet models on eBay.
Carrying my work ID in style. From seller shoppinfanatic
Zip version of the Chelsea Satchel in navy blue. From seller kick_daddy
We're not sure the reason why so many people wanted to organise their event on 15 Dec, but it meant some mad rushes across the island (in the rain) for shopaholics like us.
Destination 1: FashBash
Their new location is St James Power Station. An awful, awful choice because of the lighting. Great for a nightspot, maybe, but terrible for shopping. And if I get tissue paper as a door gift again, somebody is going to get hurt...
Smitten was giving out free copies of their Dec issue. I hadn't known about the magazine before, but it's pretty good! Full of stuff that makes you want to buy them ;-)
No clothes for me this time :( All I got was a silicone Tea Spoon filter. I first saw this on Popgadget, and it's a pretty nifty idea, really.
Destination 2: Flea.Fly.Flo.Fun
A very small flea market at Riverwalk. The vendors were mostly girls selling the unwanted contents of their wardrobes. Saw a few cute things but nothing I had to have. In the end all I got was a brass pendant on a chain.
Destination 3: Fresh Scene Shopaholic Party
At Haji Lane! I love shopping at Haji Lane - don't know why I don't go more often. Shops opened till midnight, Tiger was giving out free booze, and there was a DJ providing the music. We had dinner at nearby Ambrosia before shopping in earnest.
My haul
All in all, a great shopping experience. They need to do this regularly (hear that, FL.ag?) And I need to go to Haji Lane more often!
To round off my latest clothing purchases, here's something I got at the Massimo Dutti sale, before Saturday.
For myself. Does that count?
1. 2 pairs ElleActive yoga pants from World of Sports (30% off) - in black and blue
2. 2 mascaras from Sasa - Kiss Me Active Girl Max Volume and Naris Wink Up Styling (I'm searching for my HG mascara again)
3. From Gap (30% + 10% off)
a. Stripey waffle v-neck tee
