How Daniel Lee Made Bottega Veneta and Burberry Relevant Again

How Daniel Lee Made Bottega Veneta and Burberry Relevant Again

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Let’s take a closer look at what Daniel Lee has done for the brands he’s touched—and how Jil Sander could be next in line for the Lee treatment

Daniel Lee’s name is synonymous with reinvention. The creative director redesigns the entire look of a brand from head to toe, inside and outside, over and under the seams. In a career that’s felt like a high-speed chase to the next best thing, Lee has gone from the trenches of Bottega Veneta to the halls of Burberry, all while the fashion world’s rumor mill churns out the next headline: Is Lee headed for Jil Sander? If this is true, it’s the cherry on top of an already delicious cake.

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What Daniel Lee Did for Bottega Veneta and Burberry
Daniel Lee

Fresh Perspective

In the early days of his career, Lee honed his skills as an intern for some of fashion’s heavyweights—Maison Margiela, Balenciaga under Nicolas Ghesquière, and Donna Karan—before joining Céline in 2012. It was under Phoebe Philo’s guidance that Lee truly began to shine, learning the art of creating understated, elegant luxury.

In 2018, luxury group Kering entrusted Lee with the creative control of Bottega Veneta, presenting him with a formidable challenge: how to breathe new life into a Spanish brand renowned for its leather goods, yet not necessarily for its ready-to-wear. Lee took this as an opportunity to reimagine the brand’s iconic Intrecciato weave, infusing it with a fresh sophistication that revitalized the house while honoring its heritage.

What Daniel Lee Did for Bottega Veneta and Burberry
Pre-Fall 2019

Artistic Eye

His minimalist vision, perfected during the era of rampant logomania, turned the Pouch clutch and Cassette bag into immediate icons, it-bags on their own right. Who needs logos anyway when your designs speak so loudly on their own?

What Daniel Lee Did for Bottega Veneta and Burberry
The Cassette bag, S/S19
What Daniel Lee Did for Bottega Veneta and Burberry
S/S19

And then, of course, there was the color. A rich, deeper green that soon became immortalized as “Bottega Green”—one of the most coveted hues to grace fashion in the pre-Brat summer era. It was a shade that murmured with such quiet confidence that it could be read as intimidating. Far more than just a palette pick, this was Lee’s invitation for the world to embrace a refined, sensual Italian aesthetic seasoned with the right amount of hedonism. Welcome to “New Bottega.”

What Daniel Lee Did for Bottega Veneta and Burberry
Bottega Green, S/S21

In 2019, Lee pulled off the fashion equivalent of a quadruple threat: he became the first person to win four Fashion Awards in a single night—Accessories Designer of the Year, Brand of the Year, Womenswear Designer of the Year, and, most notably, Designer of the Year—all for his work at Bottega Veneta.

What Daniel Lee Did for Bottega Veneta and Burberry
Intrecciato weave leather heels, S/S20
What Daniel Lee Did for Bottega Veneta and Burberry
Pouch bag, S/S20

The house embraced a sophisticated Italian sensibility paired with a sensual allure—setting it apart from Phoebe Philo’s Céline, which had its own dedicated fanbase known as the “Philophiles”. In just a little over a year, Bottega Veneta had become the talk of the town.

Master of Reinvention

Fast forward to 2022, and Lee swapped out his Bottega apron for the role of Chief Creative Officer at Burberry, succeeding Riccardo Tisci. And yet again, Lee didn’t just step into a role—he reinvented the very image of the iconic British brand. The trench coat was given a slimmer silhouette, with new fabrications like duchesse satin weaving in and out of the brand’s DNA. He took a refreshing approach to Burberry’s heritage, embracing a more contemporary sensibility. Burberry’s historic check pattern was left behind, and in its place, Lee revived the Equestrian Knight Design (EKD) logo in bold “Knight Blue.”

What Daniel Lee Did for Bottega Veneta and Burberry
Burberry F/W23

Which brings us to the latest buzz: Jil Sander. If Lee truly does take on the German minimalist brand, it can be the most talked about creative director shift yet. From the Spanish throes of Bottega to the British charm of Burberry, and now—possibly—the disciplined aesthetic of Jil Sander, Lee is embarking on a world tour of fashion’s finest.

What Daniel Lee Did for Bottega Veneta and Burberry
Burberry F/W23

Daniel Lee’s reputation for taking Houses to new stories must be a calling. If these rumors come to fruition, Jil Sander better get ready to meet the man who knows how to turn minimalist luxury into a worldwide sensation. He might as well turn Jil Sander into the hottest thing since, well, Bottega Veneta.


Photos: AFP, BOTTEGA VENETA, and BURBERRY

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