Bottega Veneta’s Matthieu Blazy Finds Inspiration in a Classic Le Corbusier Design
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Photo: © Alec Soth.
Fragile though the state of the world may be, Matthieu Blazy, the creative director of Bottega Veneta, is finding comfort in the concept of rebirth. “These are the flowers that bloom after the earth is burnt—they give a sense of hope,” he wrote in the notes for the brand’s winter 2024 show. “They come back stronger than ever. Here, elegance is resilience.”
It’s a theme he hammered home on the runway, from the clothes (think scorched colors and singed motifs) to the sets, which featured adaptations of Le Corbusier’s iconic LC14 Tabouret Cabanon seat. The latest in Bottega Veneta’s recurring collaborations with Cassina, each box featured a bespoke charred finish, as if history were reemerging from the ashes.
Blazy first encountered the LC14, Le Corbusier’s clever 1952 twist on a simple crate, as a student. “I’m very inspired by this ability to elevate the simple, to repurpose the ordinary object into a defining piece of design,” says Blazy, noting that the idea for the multifunctional perch, conceived for Le Corbusier’s cabin on the Côte d’Azur, “came from a whiskey case he found abandoned on the beach.” That pragmatism, wit, and pick-up-and-go spirit continue to resonate with Blazy. “I’ve always said that Bottega Veneta, with its specialism in bags and leather goods, is about movement, ease, and going places,” notes the fashion designer. “Where Le Corbusier created environments for living, Bottega Veneta creates garments for living in.”
During Milan Design Week in April, Blazy is continuing that dialogue. As a tribute to the Swiss French architect, Bottega is presenting a selection of its recent charred versions alongside vibrant new editions clad in the brand’s signature intrecciato woven leather. Each covering, Blazy notes, is constructed asone piece, “without seams or stitching, like a precious case,” before being hand-brushed to heighten the colors. Their punchy palette calls to mind Le Corbusier’s cabin, a place high on Blazy’s bucket list. “I think a lot about the timeless technology of craft,” he says. “It’s very intriguing to me that even though Le Corbusier was often so insistent about the modern and the machine, he chose this very minimalist hut, built by traditional carpenters, for his own home.” Someday Blazy will see it in person. In the meantime, he has an LC14 at his bedside to sate his curiosity. bottegaveneta.com
Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
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