The colors of spring

MANILA, Philippines - For spring 2009, Bottega Veneta presents a collection of gentle and unorthodox glamour. The silhouette is voluminous and simple, a seemingly unmediated conversation between the body and the materials that cover it. Shape and materials correspond in subtle, precise ways.

Sometimes, the desired form of a garment determines the material used, as in loose, tailored pants made of crisp silk and cotton shantung, and a dress of sturdy, bonded, double-faced leather. Other times, material dictates design, resulting in supple, draped dresses of dry liquid silk or chiffon.

The ribbon, a frequent Bottega Veneta motif, winds its way through the collection with exuberance — beginning as an embellishment and finishing as the entire garment.

Spring’s palette is rich and organic — warm shades of tea, copper, saffron, and caramel, some faded and worn-looking like the colors on a shard of old pottery.

Outfits are monochromatic, emphasizing the volumes of the silhouette. This effect is achieved via delicate prints applied on plain and textured fabrics.

A similar blend of extravagant craftsmanship and opulent nature characterizes the season’s accessories. A sandal with wide leather straps sits atop a recessed platform of tea-colored cuoio leather and a tall, braided copper heel.

There are sandals of shiny crocodile, copper-colored python, and pansy stenciled leather all on leather platforms.

Handbags are informal and unstructured. A bag of soft cervo resembles an unearthed relic of oxidized copper.

Jewelry is organic and eccentric — color, shape, and texture composed and juxtaposed to enchant the eye. There are pendants, earrings, and brooches made of ambers and corals of different provenances. They are cut using various techniques and mixed with blackened silver.

In the Philippines, Bottega Veneta is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc. (SSI), and is located at Greenbelt 4, Ayala Center, Makati City.