Bottega Veneta released “Men” — an eight minute short film exploring masculinity.

After being asked what qualities make a man, a young boy responds without an answer. For the next eight minutes, famous actors, musicians and dancers strip Bottega Veneta clothing off and on seeking to tackle this daunting question. 

The result? Something refreshingly pleasant: men removing stigma of masculinity and coming to recognize the toxicity of a patriarchal society. All the men (and one woman) model clothes from current and past Bottega Veneta seasons. While constantly changing outfits, the models answer what being a man means to them.

“It is easy to say that a man must be strong, must be powerful,” one voice said. “You have to be very honest with yourself about how you perceive the world,” another voice added.

“Men” was a collaboration between Bottega Veneta’s creative director Daniel Lee and filmmaker and photographer Tyrone Lebon. The venture was not for commercial purposes, but instead an artful endeavor seeking to strip down the mask of what it means to be “masculine.”

Irish actor Barry Keaoghan, British musician Octavian, director Dick Jewell and dancer Roberto Bolle all made appearances in Bottega Veneta’s film. Neneh Cherry made an appearance as the only female in the film, helping to further breakdown the expectations of masculinity.

The short film “Men” is available to watch on Bottega Veneta’s website or on Mubi.