Bottega Veneta is writing the next chapter of the Art of Collaboration with a disruptive new digital-first ad campaign created with renowned agency Baron & Baron.

Titled Reflections, the Spring/Summer 2018 campaign embraces moving images as its core. Envisioned as an anthology series, six distinct and deeply cinematic and films, directed by Fabien Baron, will be released episodically throughout the season via multiple platforms and partners. These narrative episodes will become a beacon for immersive and innovative mobile-first storytelling.

‘Reflections’ The enigmatic narratives of Reflections, explore themes of rebirth, reversal of time and reconnection.

The Art of Collaboration, conceived by Creative Director Tomas Maier in 2001, was a great success, highlighting a storied relationship with artists. As the next chapter unfolds, the focus will return to Bottega Veneta itself, with a communication platform that reinforces the brand’s own “initials” more relevantly for today’s customer. Just as the original Art of Collaboration broke ground by engaging fine-art photographers to push the boundaries of fashion advertising, this new concept sets a unique precedent in luxury storytelling. “We have always told stories about our products and our brand,” says Maier. “The evolution of the Art of Collaboration enables us to reach and have a dialogue with the customer on his or her own terms.”

The new campaign is optimized for digital and mobile consumption with thumb-stopping content that entertains, inspires and consistently offers new insights into the brand story and DNA. It is designed to connect to the modern consumer where he or she instinctively goes, to be always at his or her fingertips, offering an engaging experience.

‘Miraggio’ The fire in Miraggio, represents life, soul, desire and passion.

The still photographs for the print campaign are extracted from the moving images- a technical feat enabled by Panavision’s new Millennium DXL 8K camera, with lenses that were customized by the films’ cinematographer Philippe Le Sourd. The traditional elements of a photographer and photo shoot were bypassed. The print layout is also cinematic, using repetition of images to evoke motion and to resemble a storyboard. This is one part of the brand’s new visual identity that will become instantly recognizable in communication channels.

In its new form, the Art of Collaboration, will rely on a team of collaborators instead of a single creative voice to translate the vision of Tomas Maier. The remarkable talents working with Maier include Fabien Baron, who directed the films, Academy Award-nominated cinematographer Philippe Le Sourd, renowned set designer Stefan Beckman, and record-producer and composer Johnny Jewel, who scored the original soundtrack for the six films and trailer.

‘196.6 MHz’ reflects on the magical chemistry between two people, about finding the right moment and the right medium.

The models- Vittoria Ceretti, Aube Jolicoeur, Sora Choi and Janis Ancens were cast for their ability to convey emotion, a crucial element rounding out this complex collaborative effort. In the spirit of Bottega Veneta’s iconic tagline “When your own initials are enough,” the collaborators are mysteriously only identified by their initials, both in the film credits and in the print campaign.

For this season and those to come, the short films will unfold in the style of an anthology series- with different narratives and characters that cohere under a singular aesthetic vision, established by Reflections. That vision is woven from the brand pillars: Mystery, Sophistication, Architecture, Sensuality and Surrealism.

“What was important to us was to tell the Bottega Veneta story through the most narrative medium available today: film; to not dilute the message and to have all other points of communication naturally derive from the film,” says Baron. “Ultimately, we wanted to develop a unique visual vocabulary that would reflect the breadth of such a luxury brand.”

Bottega Veneta Reinvents the Art of Collaboration