Bottega Veneta Creates an Animal-Filled "Ark" for SS25 Show
The runway was lined with slouchy animals beanbags, inspired by the iconic “Sacco” chair.
Bottega Veneta’s relationship with design beyond fashion is long-standing, but in recent years, the house has become well-known for its extra-curricular activities – ranging from Gaetano Pesce chairs to a collaboration with the Le Corbusier Foundation.
Now, for the runway of its SS25 show, Matthieu Blazy has looked to another icon of design – the Zanotta Sacco. Originally created in 1968, the Sacco was an elevated take on the humble bean bag, and was such a successful design that it was awarded the Compasso d’Oro Lifetime Achievement award in 2020
For Blazy, the object felt reminiscent of early Bottega Veneta bags, mainly due to its softness, flexibility and malleability. He particularly liked how low to the ground the seats are, and the viewpoint that provides – “you have a different perspective when you sit on them,” he said.
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When it came to the designs themselves, Blazy was inspired by the idea of The Ark – and as such, dreamt up his own “friendly companions”. At the show, 60 chairs in total were on display – with 15 animals featured in a variety of colorways: dog, panda, rabbit, ladybird, snake, bird, chicken, dinosaur, otter, elephant, cat, fox, bear, horse, and whale.
“It was the idea of The Ark: a joyful world with a sense of wonder, populated by friendly companions that make you smile and say ‘wow’,” Blazy adds. “They are both joyful and comfortable. I hope this sense of wonder continues every time people come across them, whether at home or elsewhere.”
The first pieces from The Ark collection went on sale on the Bottega Veneta website on 22 September 2024 – with two of each animal available, inspired by the animals going into the Ark “two by two”.
The Ark collection will next be available at this year’s Design Miami, taking place from December 1 to 8. Take a look at the full collection in the gallery above.
