In Detroit, Bottega Veneta stuns the runway. 

Creative director Daniel Lee staged Salon 03 in the Michigan Theatre, presenting a collection distinctly crafted by his hand, given all the playfulness and elegance of Bottega with a touch of sleek, chic athleticism. 

Models strutted around the theatre—to an audience including the likes of Lil’ Kim and Mary J. Blige—in looks ranging from the elegant to the every day; high-fashion tracksuits wove heavily into the collection, but so did Marilyn Monroe-esque halter-neck dresses, structured statement coats, mini skirts and turtlenecks, denim jackets and fur coats. 

In 55 looks, Daniel Lee reinforces his masterful three years at Bottega; his signature elevated slouchiness is embedded in Salon 03, juxtaposed with neat, crisp tailoring. A charcoal, black and ivory palette highlighted with violet, tangerine and the iconic Bottega green intertwines playfulness with the world of high luxury; where there is cool, casual designer, there is Bottega Veneta. 

It is rare for a collection to have such cohesion, and for such cohesion to turn out every look into a highlight piece, but that is what Bottega Veneta achieves. Standout looks, then, might be those which reference workwear and athleticwear: the all-white, tracksuit-esque zip jacket and slouchy pants paired with sneakers, the thick-strapped tank dress with wide pleats, the single-buttoned, slouchy denim jacket and matching pants.

Or, maybe, standout looks might be those which modernize the past, catching glimpses of old Americana and making them anew: the halter-neck, knee-length dresses with black stripes evoking the 1950s, or the sequinned gold mini dress recalling ‘80s glam, or the final look of the collection, a voluminous, structured black coat recalling a 2010s celebrity culture. 

Bottega Veneta neatly packages androgynous luxury into a playful, contemporary package, but Lee doesn’t stop with the big picture. Details of the collection remind us that, at its heart Bottega Veneta has its finger on the pulse of accessories, forecasting the trend season more often than following it. The majority of the looks were adorned not with jewelry, but simple Bottega bags and shoes. Small clutches, shoulder bags with long straps sandals, sneakers and boots appeared on the runway, in a color palette hinting that maybe, just maybe, the next season will favor Bottega Orange over Bottega Green. 

But whatever the next trend cycle brings, we can be sure of one thing: it’ll be influenced by Bottega.