What makes man? What does being a man really mean? And what defines masculinity? The general conversation surrounding the topic has intensified in recent years, and the binary, traditional definitions of ‘man’ have grown outdated to the new (and old) generations. Bottega Veneta asks these same questions in their new video, Bottega Veneta: Men, an 8-minute video available on Bottega Veneta’s website as well as on Mubi, a curated streaming service with the world’s biggest community of film lovers.
Shot by photographer and filmmaker Tyrone Lebon, a regular collaborator of the Italian house, and Daniel Lee, Creative Director of Bottega Veneta, this new video stars singers Octavian, Obongjayar and Neneh Cherry; actor Barry Keoghan; artists Dick Jewell and George Rouy; dancer and choreographer Michael Clark; singer and producer Tricky; and little kid Roman. All of them get dressed head to toe in Bottega Veneta’s new collection, showcasing the versatility and wide range of possibilities that the clothes and accessories designed by Daniel Lee offer to any type of man, no matter how he defines or identifies himself.
“There’s no specific way that I feel men should behave or anything. That’s up to the individual,” says British artist Dick Jewell, a renowned figure in the art world whose artistic practice spans photography, collage and filmmaking, the first person to talk in the video. “You have to dress a certain way, keep your hair a certain way, talk a certain way… You start to ask yourself what is my identity,” recalls singer Obongjayar about moving from Nigeria, where he grew up, to the UK, where his mum had fled years ago. “I was trying to do stuff that wasn’t necessarily me. You might not have the balls to put on a pair of fucking kiwi boots, but I think it’s fucking sick! That’s what you represent, and that’s your thing,” he affirms convinced about finding one’s own path and identity. And so, one by one, each define who they are and how clothing helps them express that idea of themselves. If you want to know more, head to Bottega Veneta’s website and watch the entire video!
