Louise Trotter's Wild and Wonderful Bottega Veneta Debut

Though there was plenty to discuss on Saturday in Milan—from the new Versace to Miranda Priestly and Nigel sitting front row at Dolce Gabbana—everyone was, understandably so, talking about Bottega Veneta. The Italian house has been on a high for a while now, but you never know what will happen when one designer leaves and another takes their place. Former Creative Director Matthieu Blazy will make his runway debut for Chanel during Paris Fashion Week later this season, and Louise Trotter was announced as Blazy's successor back in December. Trotter silenced all the noise the second her first model—dressed in an ivory silk blouse, sock boots, and a wool coat fastened with Bottega Veneta's signature knot motif in navy-blue leather—stepped foot on the all-white runway at the brand's spring/summer 2026 show in Milan on Saturday. With each passing ensemble, the former Carven and Lacoste creative director proved just how safe the brand is in her very talented hands.

In total, Trotter's Bottega Veneta debut included 76 looks for both men and women. There were loud, playful ensembles made of mesmerizing fringe as well as classic, sophisticated combinations made special by specific details, like an Intrecciato collar, knot cuff links, and padded shoulders. Tailoring, one of Trotter's many specialties, was evident throughout the coed collection, and future It bags, like the iconic Lauren, were reinvented for the spring. The collection was a commercial hit and a creative masterpiece. Successfully achieving both is never easy, especially on the first go, yet that's exactly what Trotter did for spring/summer 2026.

Scroll down for more on her critically acclaimed debut for Bottega Veneta.

Louise Trotter Makes History at Bottega Veneta

On Saturday, September 27, 2025, Trotter became the first-ever female creative director at Bottega Veneta. With so few female designers at the helm of fashion's biggest brands, this is no small feat and is surely something to celebrate. Interestingly, when she joined Lacoste in 2018, following her role as creative director at Joseph, she became the first female creative director there as well. (Trotter exited the French sportswear label in early 2023.) After leaving Lacoste, she was hired as the creative director at French fashion house Carven, where she completely reinvented the brand and made it into one of Paris's most talked-about labels in just two years. Now, at Bottega Veneta, she's continuing to break boundaries and design clothes (and more) that women want to wear.

Intrecciato Everywhere

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Bottega Veneta's signature Intrecciato weaving technique, so naturally, Trotter chose to display it everywhere in her first collection for the brand. The overlapping design feature was always going to be seen on bags and even shoes, but for spring/summer 2026, it also showed up all over the ready-to-wear offering in big, obvious ways and some subtle ones. We saw it hidden inside jacket flaps and sewn into Bermuda shorts (a rare non-leather version that opens up a whole new world of possibilities) as well as on removable collars and bandanas. And then there were the allover Intrecciato moments on patent-leather coats adorned with feather collars, all-white matching sets, and a navy pencil skirt with an uneven hem. Blazy included the weave in apparel as well, but not like this, and I, for one, can't wait to see what other ways Trotter will introduce it.

All the Bags

Fashion people often say that, for a designer to be successful at a major house, they have to be able to design sellable pieces, namely bags and shoes. Trotter did both in her debut at Bottega Veneta, and the former proved especially strong. Not only were some of the brand's most popular styles reinvented, like the Cabat and the Lauren, but Trotter also showcased new bag options, like a crocodile open-top tote and dopp kits for women, styled smashingly with lingerie-like dresses for a perfect bit of contrast. East-west clutches and slouchy shoulder bags alike will be dangerously buyable come spring.

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A Study in Contrasts

Bottega Veneta's S/S 26 collection was anything but straightforward. It was an amalgamation of different textures and feelings that all somehow fit together with ease. Classic shirting was paired with multicolored fringe skirts and clogs, mixing the brand's playful look from the past few years with a sense of practicality. Menswear tailoring and bags (particularly dopp kits) were leveled out with dresses made of both leather and lightweight taffeta. Trench coats were made interesting with Intrecciato details, and simple pumps got an upgrade with shearling and PVC. Sporty sunglasses, furry bags, tinsel jackets and skirts, and elegant kiss-lock bags all joined forces to create an air of messy perfection that just worked.

Hard Launch

In the months between the announcement that Trotter would be Blazy's successor and her first show for the brand, the designer dropped a few hints at what her vision for Bottega Veneta would look like. In other words, she soft-launched her creations—mostly on the red carpet. There was Julianne Moore's simple black gown for The Phoenician Scheme's premiere at Cannes Film Festival, which featured a subtle, fringe-like detail on one shoulder that mirrors all the fringe on today's runway. Then there was Vicky Krieps's burgundy Intrecciato top that she wore to the Love Me Tender photo-call at Cannes. It was styled with perfectly crisp white, oversize trousers and gold earrings, but the star was the backless woven top, a detail I already said was a huge part of Trotter's debut. Now that we've seen her first full collection, it's clear how these red carpet moments tied into her vision for the brand and the season ahead.

The Bottega Veneta Woman

At Saturday's show, Hollywood greats like Moore, Uma Thurman, and Michelle Yeoh showed their support for Trotter and Bottega Veneta while dressed in the brand from head to toe. Both Yeoh and Moore donned denim for the occasion, though they opted for different washes (Yeoh in black and Moore in classic blue), and Thurman chose a long, tailored tuxedo coat with satin lapels, pairing it with gold earrings, open-toe mules, and a Parachute bag. Moore went bag-free, and Yeoh carried a sea salt colored Campana. The best guest of all? Lauren Hutton, who attended the show carrying her original Lauren bag, which the actress famously carried in the 1980 cult classic American Gigolo. Together, they painted a picture of today's Bottega Veneta woman: confident, chic, and, most of all, undeniably cool.