Milan Fashion Week came to a close on Saturday with its share of surprises, not least an unlikely source of inspiration for Bottega Veneta's much-anticipated evening show.&nbsp;

"For this show, I took as my starting point the scene from Spielberg's film 'E.T.', when the mother opens the closet to reveal a world of stuffed animals..." Bottega Veneta's artistic director Matthieu Blazy explained backstage.&nbsp;

"The surprise of an imaginary world, the world of childhood, where everything is possible, where everything is a game, a joy, an adventure," he said.&nbsp;

Blazy sought to recreate children trying on their parents' clothing, or even the first day of school, "when parents have prepared the perfect outfit for their child, who comes back with everything upside down."

That resulted in dresses just a bit too big, outfits with one leg in pants, the other in a skirt, superimpositions or creases.&nbsp;

As for the dress embroidered with matches?&nbsp;

"It's the object of childhood's forbidden game, intrepid and dangerous," he said.

Earlier Saturday, no less a superstar than Madonna sat in the front row of the Dolce &amp; Gabbana show -- her face barely visible under a black lace veil.&nbsp;

The catwalk became a tribute to the "Material Girl", with all models in blond wigs, some in corsets with pointy breasts, others in black men's tuxedos embellished with trouser braces.

But at Bottega Veneta, not only fashion fans were watching, but investors too.&nbsp;

Founded in 1966 in Vicenza in the northeastern Italian region of Veneto, the label renowned for its woven leather goods and expert craftsmanship became a part of France's Kering group in 2001.&nbsp;

And with Kering's flagship brand Gucci currently in a sales dive -- down 20 percent in the first half of this year -- the company is hoping to make the most of its smaller and less showy Italian brand.

In the first half of 2024, Bottega Veneta posted revenue growth of three percent to 836 million euros ($933 million), whereas Gucci's revenue, while down significantly, was 4.1 billion euros -- nearly half of Kering's entire revenue of nine billion euros.

So while Bottega Veneto may be a drop in the the luxury group's ocean, it is a promising one -- and one that goes hand in hand with its distinctive approach to fashion.

A coveted brand that is notably absent from social networks, Bottega Veneta thrives on discreet hyper-exclusivity, led by the Franco-Belgian Blazy, who took over as creative director at the end of 2021.&nbsp;

- Tell-tale 'intrecciato' -

With sumptuous materials that flirt with trompe-l'oeil and cult pieces such as jeans-like pants in buttery calf leather selling for 5,200 euros, Bottega Veneta has built up considerable cult status in recent years under Blazy.

The brand eschews logos on its products, instead letting its famous "intrecciato", or signature woven leather, speak for itself, or incorporating a brass "nodo" or knot as an essential design element into shoes and other accessories.

The brand has also strategically snubbed social networks. In 2021, it deleted its Instagram account only for fans to take over an unofficial "newbottega" account so as not to miss any of the latest news.&nbsp;

Passionate about contemporary art and design, Blazy fuels the brand's projects through collaborations with photographers and creatives.

Some are even revealed during fashion shows themselves, such as last year's 400 chairs designed by furniture and art designer Gaetano Pesce, who died in April, or the February homage to architect Le Corbusier with a reinterpretation of his Tabouret Cabanon.

The recent opening of Palazzo Van Axel in Venice will now welcome Bottega Veneta's exclusive clients to discover the world of the brand in a fully restored palace in the heart of the watery city.&nbsp;

There, personalised services include the opportunity to choose from luxurious leathers or unique pieces not available in stores.

The palace will also host exhibitions, special projects and the presentation of Bottega Veneta's high-end jewellery collection in November.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Milan Fashion Week came to a close on Saturday with its share of surprises, not least an unlikely source of inspiration for Bottega Veneta's much-anticipated evening show.

Milan Fashion Week came to a close on Saturday with its share of surprises, not least an unlikely source of inspiration for Bottega Veneta's much-anticipated evening show. "For this show, I took as my starting point the scene from Spielberg's film 'E.T.', when the mother opens the closet to reveal a world of stuffed animals..." Bottega Veneta's artistic director Matthieu Blazy explained backstage. "The surprise of an imaginary world, the world of childhood, where everything is possible, where everything is a game, a joy, an adventure," he said. Blazy sought to recreate children trying on their parents' clothing, or even the first day of school, "when parents have prepared the perfect outfit for their child, who comes back with everything upside down." That resulted in dresses just a bit too big, outfits with one leg in pants, the other in a skirt, superimpositions or creases. As for the dress embroidered with matches? "It's the object of childhood's forbidden game, intrepid and dangerous," he said. Earlier Saturday, no less a superstar than Madonna sat in the front row of the Dolce & Gabbana show -- her face barely visible under a black lace veil. The catwalk became a tribute to the "Material Girl", with all models in blond wigs, some in corsets with pointy breasts, others in black men's tuxedos embellished with trouser braces. But at Bottega Veneta, not only fashion fans were watching, but investors too. Founded in 1966 in Vicenza in the northeastern Italian region of Veneto, the label renowned for its woven leather goods and expert craftsmanship became a part of France's Kering group in 2001. And with Kering's flagship brand Gucci currently in a sales dive -- down 20 percent in the first half of this year -- the company is hoping to make the most of its smaller and less showy Italian brand. In the first half of 2024, Bottega Veneta posted revenue growth of three percent to 836 million euros ($933 million), whereas Gucci's revenue, while down significantly, was 4.1 billion euros -- nearly half of Kering's entire revenue of nine billion euros. So while Bottega Veneto may be a drop in the the luxury group's ocean, it is a promising one -- and one that goes hand in hand with its distinctive approach to fashion. A coveted brand that is notably absent from social networks, Bottega Veneta thrives on discreet hyper-exclusivity, led by the Franco-Belgian Blazy, who took over as creative director at the end of 2021. - Tell-tale 'intrecciato' - With sumptuous materials that flirt with trompe-l'oeil and cult pieces such as jeans-like pants in buttery calf leather selling for 5,200 euros, Bottega Veneta has built up considerable cult status in recent years under Blazy. The brand eschews logos on its products, instead letting its famous "intrecciato", or signature woven leather, speak for itself, or incorporating a brass "nodo" or knot as an essential design element into shoes and other accessories. The brand has also strategically snubbed social networks. In 2021, it deleted its Instagram account only for fans to take over an unofficial "newbottega" account so as not to miss any of the latest news. Passionate about contemporary art and design, Blazy fuels the brand's projects through collaborations with photographers and creatives. Some are even revealed during fashion shows themselves, such as last year's 400 chairs designed by furniture and art designer Gaetano Pesce, who died in April, or the February homage to architect Le Corbusier with a reinterpretation of his Tabouret Cabanon. The recent opening of Palazzo Van Axel in Venice will now welcome Bottega Veneta's exclusive clients to discover the world of the brand in a fully restored palace in the heart of the watery city. There, personalised services include the opportunity to choose from luxurious leathers or unique pieces not available in stores. The palace will also host exhibitions, special projects and the presentation of Bottega Veneta's high-end jewellery collection in November. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Bottega Veneta goes for 'E.T.' chic as Madonna pops into D&G

The onset of winter is often marked by Indian mothers buying and then forcing their kids to wear the so-called "monkey cap", which is a unique beanie-style cap that covers the head, ears, neck, and mouth and arguably makes one look quite unflattering. It's sold by local vendors at very cheap rates and is seen as a necessity for the winter season.

But, would you buy the same ski mask cap at a whopping price of over $392 from fashion house Dolce &amp; Gabanna? Since many would answer this question with a big "no", the luxury brand is getting brutally trolled by netizens for its accessory collection and its hefty price tag.&nbsp;

The chatter around the overpriced cap started when Swati Moitra posted a screenshot of what looks like a regular monkey cap priced at Rs 31,990 after a discount on Twitter. In the tweet, she wrote, "As a Bengali, I am horrified and vindicated." The tweet went viral on the platform in no time. It currently has over 370,000 views on the micro-blogging site.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
As a Bengali, I am horrified and vindicated. <a href="https://t.co/fu8Wn5ToPa">pic.twitter.com/fu8Wn5ToPa</a>
— Swati Moitra (@swatiatrest) <a href="https://twitter.com/swatiatrest/status/1615411328721760258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/dolce-gabbana-sells-monkey-cap-for-whopping-392-tickles-twitter-users-554412/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe>

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-jack-oconnell-lesley-manville-eddie-marsan-join-the-cast-of-amy-winehouses-biopic-back-to-black-554438">Jack O'Connell, Lesley Manville, Eddie Marsan join the cast of Amy Winehouse's biopic 'Back to Black'</a>

The product was called ‘Khaki Ski Mask Cap’ on the site. It was originally priced at Rs 40,000 ($392) and the product also has an EMI option that starts at Rs 1,778 ($21) per month.

"Was so cold in the mountains end-Dec, if promised express delivery, I may have robbed a bank and ordered this!" wrote a sarcastic user. Meanwhile, another user wrote, "Rs 31k for a monkey cap!!! I got mine for Rs 20, 10 years ago, &amp; it is still serving me fine (sic)." And, one tweeted, "This should be the cap’s starting price in order to stop parents from buying it against their kids’ preferences." 
&nbsp;

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The onset of winter is often marked by Indian mothers buying and then forcing their kids to wear the so-called "monkey cap", which is a unique beanie-style cap that covers the head, ears, neck, and mouth and arguably makes one look quite unflattering.

The onset of winter is often marked by Indian mothers buying and then forcing their kids to wear the so-called "monkey cap", which is a unique beanie-style cap that covers the head, ears, neck, and mouth and arguably makes one look quite unflattering. It's sold by local vendors at very cheap rates and is seen as a necessity for the winter season. But, would you buy the same ski mask cap at a whopping price of over $392 from fashion house Dolce & Gabanna? Since many would answer this question with a big "no", the luxury brand is getting brutally trolled by netizens for its accessory collection and its hefty price tag. The chatter around the overpriced cap started when Swati Moitra posted a screenshot of what looks like a regular monkey cap priced at Rs 31,990 after a discount on Twitter. In the tweet, she wrote, "As a Bengali, I am horrified and vindicated." The tweet went viral on the platform in no time. It currently has over 370,000 views on the micro-blogging site. As a Bengali, I am horrified and vindicated. pic.twitter.com/fu8Wn5ToPa — Swati Moitra (@swatiatrest) January 17, 2023 Also read: Jack O'Connell, Lesley Manville, Eddie Marsan join the cast of Amy Winehouse's biopic 'Back to Black' The product was called ‘Khaki Ski Mask Cap’ on the site. It was originally priced at Rs 40,000 ($392) and the product also has an EMI option that starts at Rs 1,778 ($21) per month. "Was so cold in the mountains end-Dec, if promised express delivery, I may have robbed a bank and ordered this!" wrote a sarcastic user. Meanwhile, another user wrote, "Rs 31k for a monkey cap!!! I got mine for Rs 20, 10 years ago, & it is still serving me fine (sic)." And, one tweeted, "This should be the cap’s starting price in order to stop parents from buying it against their kids’ preferences." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Netizens feel ‘horrified & vindicated’ by Dolce & Gabbana’s $392 ‘monkey cap’

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