Here’s Why Bottega Veneta Deleted Their Social Media

Turns out the reason behind the house’s 2021 Instagram departure is more than just #detoxing.

Back in January, when the internet was still rejoicing in Donald Trump’s social media lockout, Bottega Veneta rocked the fashion world with its sudden – voluntary – departure from Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. The move left many fans scratching their heads, while others speculated it was nothing more than a publicity stunt – not unlike when musicians delete all their photos ahead of a new album drop, for example. Well, nearly two months later, we finally have an answer.

Bottega’s parent company, Kering, CEO François-Henri Pinault told WWD this is all part of the label’s new marketing plan. “Regarding its digital communication strategy, it’s not disappearing from social networks — it’s merely using them differently,” he said. “Bottega has decided, in line with its positioning, to lean much more on its ambassadors and fans by giving them the material they need to talk about the brand through various social networks, by letting them speak for the brand rather than doing it itself.” 

Meaning: Bottega is leaving its social media promotion in the hands of its fanbase, which includes the likes of Rihanna, Hailey Bieber, Kanye West, and the Kardashian-Jenner clan, who can sport creative director Daniel Lee’s designs in candid Instagram posts and paparazzi shots. Basically, old-school word-of-mouth marketing.

Photo via Instagram/@badgalriri.

The strategy is quite similar to the one employed by Balenciaga (another Kering label, btw), whose Instagram page has been publishing seemingly user-generated photos without any captions or tags since 2018 to nearly 12 million followers. Both houses have decided to sit out this season’s Fashion Week schedules, along with Gucci, Saint Laurent, and Alexander McQueen. 

It also seems to be very on-brand with Bottega’s low-profile philosophy: its abrupt social media departure came less than a month after it unveiled its “Salon 01” Spring/Summer 2021 show, which had been secretly recorded two months prior. 

So far, the strategy seems to be paying off. “Bottega has had a very specific positioning for years, which is now being reinforced,” Pinault said. “I have to say that after a month and a half, it’s pretty convincing in terms of Bottega Veneta’s visibility, and we are monitoring it quite precisely.”

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