Bottega Veneta announced that Nobuyoshi Araki has photographed the brand’s Spring-Summer 2015 advertising campaign. The campaign, which was photographed on location in Tokyo, features both the women’s and men’s collections and is the latest in Bottega Veneta’s ongoing series of creative collaborations featuring the talents of acclaimed artists.
The men’s and women’s spring collections are influenced by dance and the idea of freedom in movement. The women’s palette is dominated by shades of deep navy and sky blue, complimented by lighter tones such as pale, mist and banane. The men’s palette is centered on faded shades of blue and green, also balanced by paler colors. Both collections have a relaxed, graceful attitude and many of the fabrics have a weathered hand. For women, there is washed calf suede, chunky and fine knits, gingham and denim; sequins and caviar beads provide occasional embellishment. For men, there is ultra soft lambskin, suede, cashmere knits and linen; the materials are treated with various smoking, stitching and fading techniques to lend a worn-in feeling. Women’s handbags are soft and organically shaped, accentuated by an eclectic mix of materials, while an unadorned t-stap flat forms the foundation for many of the looks. The men’s signature bag is a slouchy convertible intrecciato backpack.
Japan’s most famous living photographer, Nobuyoshi Araki is known for his unapologetically erotic imagery. Born in Tokyo in 1940, he studied photography and film at Chiba University and briefly worked as a commercial photographer before turning his gaze to more provocative subject matter. In 1971 he published Sentimental Journey, a book that exposed the intimate moments of his honeymoon with Yoko Araki, who would remain his muse until her death in 1990.
Araki’s willingness to challenge societal norms has caused much debate; his most famous and controversial images are of women tightly bound in the method of erotic Japanese rope-tying known as kinbaku-bi. His work is suffused with themes of death and desire, domination and surrender, honesty and propriety. The artist’s photographs are part of numerous collections, including Tate Modern in London and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
“More than simply provocative, Araki’s images have a powerful honesty and human poignancy that make them unforgettable,” says Bottega Veneta Creative Director Tomas Maier.
“He has his own visual language, which I was very excited to see translated to the collection. I am pleased to say I am very happy with the results of our collaboration.”
Araki joins a long list of renowned artists who have contributed to the creation of Bottega Veneta’s advertising portfolio. Previous collaborations include Ryan McGinley, David Sims, Pieter Hugo, David Armstrong, Ralph Gibson, Peter Lindbergh, Collier Schorr, Erwin Olaf, Jack Pierson, Mona Kuhn, Robert Polidori, Alex Prager, Robert Longo, Nan Goldin, Steven Meisel, Larry Sultan, Todd Eberle, Nick Knight, Sam Taylor-Wood, Annie Leibovitz, Tina Barney, Lord Snowdon, Stephen Shore and Philip-Lorca diCorcia. Bottega Veneta’s Spring-Summer 2015 advertising campaign will debut in February issues of select magazines globally.
Source: Bottega Veneta
