Daniel Lee Appointed Creative Director Of Bottega Veneta

Bottega Veneta has announced the appointment of British designer Daniel Lee as the brand's new creative director. Most recently director of ready-to-wear design at Céline, Lee will join the company on July 1. He succeeds Tomas Maier who stepped down from the helm of the Italian label earlier this week, after 17 years as creative director.

Lee, 32, graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2011 and held roles at Maison Margiela, Balenciaga and Donna Karan prior to joining Céline in 2012. "I'm both honoured and excited to continue the legacy that has been created at Bottega Veneta over the last five decades," he said of the appointment. "Maintaining the ingrained codes of the house, craftsmanship, quality and sophistication, I look forward to evolving what has gone before, while contributing a new perspective and modernity."

François-Henri Pinault, chairman and CEO of Bottega Veneta's parent company Kering, welcomed Lee to the luxury conglomerate, saying, "The singularity of his vision inspired by a very personal creative approach convinced me that he was best able to open a new chapter in the history of the house. His work is characterised by great rigour, a mastery of studio expertise, a true passion for materials and an energy that I cannot wait to see take shape at the brand." 

Bottega Veneta CEO Claus Dietrich Lahrs added to the praise, noting that the designer "has a deep understanding of the house's current challenges, both in terms of creation and development." Although the label has recently reported a slowdown in growth, Lahrs expressed his hope that the appointment of the talented young designer will bring "a new and distinctive creative language that will continue building the house's success based on the ambitious foundations already developed over many years."