Bottega Veneta Disappears from Social Media

How much time do you spend on social media? I don’t know how about you, but I’ve noticed that ever since the beginning of the pandemic, I spend more time on social media, in particular, Instagram. Quite frankly, with so much of the World locked down, what else can we do? Well, while we are spending more time on social media than ever, one thing is certain. Brands are putting as much energy as they can into their social media content.

On January 5th, fashion lovers have woken up to learn that Bottega Veneta, one of our favorite luxury brands, is no longer on social media. Brand’s Instagram account, which boasted 2.5 million followers, as well as, their other social accounts, are all gone! Why would Bottega Veneta suddenly delete their social media accounts? Is it just a temporary hiatus, or they are gone forever? Or, perhaps, it’s a publicity stunt? Let’s try to figure this out!

Since Daniel Lee took over as the creative director of the Bottega Veneta, the brand has risen in popularity like never before! Before Lee, the brand was under the creative direction of German designer Tomas Maier. Maier joined Bottega Veneta in 2001, shortly after Gucci Group (now Kering) acquired the brand. Under the creative direction of Maier, the brand’s signature intrecciato bags became a luxury staple and brand’s ready-to-wear became a top choice for those who didn’t like logo’s.

Undeniably, it is largely due to the efforts of Tomas Maier, that Bottega Veneta became the brand it is today. However, the luxury market today isn’t the same as it’s been in early 2000’s. Majority of luxury consumers today are relatively young and are into trends. Maier’s Bottega Veneta was neither young or trendy. In June 2018, after almost two decades (17 years) with Bottega Veneta, Tomas Maier stepped down from his role as creative director of the brand, opening up the door to young and enthusiastic Daniel Lee.

Ever since Daniel Lee presented his first collection for the label, it was clear that the new chapter is opening for Bottega Veneta. Designer’s modern take on House’s signature intrecciato weave and his unique approach to accessories made Bottega an instant hit. In my opinion, Lee owes a lot of Bottega’s current success to the influencers and Instagram. Nearly every influencer today, big and small, is wearing Bottega Veneta. The “Lido” mules and the Pouch were basically, influencer’s unnoficial uniform during 2019. During 2020, those were the Padded Cassette Bag and the Padded Sandals. Perhaps, there’s too much Bottega on social media?

I believe that it was exactly Daniel Lee, who has taken a decision to remove the brand from social media. And here’s why. Lee is famously known to be one of the few high-profile designers that don’t engage with social media in any way. In his interview to Cultured he has admitted to looking at Instagram and social media sometimes. He then added that he thinks too much of social media can be dangerous and detrimental to the creative process. Moreover, according to Lee, everyone seeing the same thing is not healthy or productive; it doesn’t breed individuality.

The question is, does Bottega Veneta even need social media in order to remain successful? There are few luxury brands out there that have managed to remain successful without lots of social media presence. A good example is Goyard. They don’t advertise in any form. While Goyard do have accounts on social media, they post there very rarely. Finally, Goyard does not engage in any form of e-commerce. The only way to buy Goyard is by walking into one of their boutiques. How are they able to remain successful? Well, mystery attracts. The “lips are sealed” tactic has long been known as one of the best ways to build a buzz around something or someone. Perhaps, all what Bottega Veneta is looking to achieve with this social media hiatus is to build some buzz around a new product launch?

Or, they’ve simply decided to clean their social media profiles in efforts to rebrand. We’ve seen several luxury brands do that in the past. Take, for example, Celine or Saint Laurent.

It’s very difficult for me to believe that Bottega Veneta is gone from social media forever. Especially, considering the fact, that today, the brand appeals a lot to millenials and younger generations that basically live on social media. Through Instagram is how they often learn about the new product launches! I don’t think Bottega Veneta would abandon their fans so easily! They must have something on their mind. Just a month ago, Bottega has advertised for a “global social media manager”. So, maybe, the deletion of accounts is just a step towards a new social media direction?

I, pesonally, have a feeling that something major might be coming from Bottega Veneta really soon!

What are your thoughts on the brand leaving social media? Sound off in the comments below!