Bottega Veneta Spring 2020 Ad Campaign by Tyrone Lebon

Bottega Veneta Creative Director Daniel Lee and frequent collaborator Photographer Tyrone Lebon have delivered another ad campaign showcasing the type of bold luxury with which the label has become synonymous. Unabashedly hedonistic in their portrayals of power and sensuality, the campaign is the perfect example of Lee’s and Lebon’s unique ability to visually communicate sex without feeling salacious, a rare skill that is much easier said than done.

It is not easy to dissect precisely what makes the brand’s campaigns work so well. Consistency is one part of the puzzle, and past campaigns have used symbols of wealth in a similar way, such as a gold-plated Lamborghini and oversized gold chains; in the most recent campaign, a triple-tiered yacht serves this function. In the hands of less-skilled individuals, these props could seem gimmicky but Lee and Lebon are able to transcend through the use of camera angles, stellar casting, body language, and well-chosen exposures of skin. The end result manages to transform these symbols of power and indulgence into a fantasy world that is unapologetic, confident, almost nihilistic in its embrace of pure opulence.

The campaign is a calculated yet convincing illusion, and illustrates the qualities that sets the brand’s marketing apart from all the others; it is a marketing campaign made by adults, for adults. Compared to other brands that try to appeal to one’s inner child, or to young people that have barely left their teenage years behind, Bottega Veneta feels decisively grown-up and self-actualized. The photographs give off the feeling that this archetypal couple on their imaginary yacht might look fabulous… but they really don’t care what you think. And for many, this combination of good looks and bad attitude is the ultimate fantasy.