No, you’re not blocked. Bottega Veneta has disappeared from Instagram. No announcement. No explanation. The Italian luxury brand wiped its prints off social media overnight on Tuesday. Its accounts on Facebook and Twitter have also been deleted.
Despite being behind one of 2020’s it shoes, their padded cassette bag hanging on the shoulders of the Hailey Baldwin Bieber and Kylie Jenner bundling up in full Bottega Veneta while on her Aspen vacation, the label chose to leave a “Sorry, this page is not available” as their sole social media trace.
The label’s Instagram account counted 2.5 million followers upon its removal, a number that uninterruptedly grew throughout the year with the proliferation its product range under the creative direction of Daniel Lee.
Could it be that what led to its rise is also reason for this latest decision? Whilst Lee may be behind Bottega Veneta’s recent stardom, the designer is admittedly not a fan of social media himself, with no accounts of his own on any platform.
“I’m aware of social media; I like it in some respects, I don’t in others,” he admitted in a 2018 interview with Vogue.
But Lee’s influence on the decision remains mere speculation. The luxury label has yet to comment. However, their aversion to a social media presence first showed its signs in December’s showcase of the brand’s Spring 2021 collection. The highly exclusive event, called ‘Salon 01 London’ welcomed only a select group of high-profile celebrities who were banned from filming, with the label imposing a two-month embargo on attendees.
With the brand and Lee remaining mum on their recent decision, it’s hard to foresee Bottega’s social media future. We’re only left with a series of questions: how long will they remain off social media? Will the label continue investing in influencer marketing?
