Bottega Veneta's New Campaign Featuring Jacob Elordi
Italian luxury brand Bottega Veneta has launched a new campaign starring actor Jacob Elordi, photographed by renowned artist Duane Michals. The series showcases dreamy black-and-white images and is titled What Are Dreams, named after Michals's 1994 photograph and accompanying poem.
Collaboration and Creative Direction
This marks the first partnership since Bottega Veneta's creative director, Louise Trotter, debuted her initial collection for the brand during the Milan Spring 2026 fashion shows in September.
Duane Michals’s Artistic Approach
Michals is celebrated for his “Sequences,” photographic series that present enigmatic stories without clear resolutions, inviting deep reflection and emotional engagement. His images frequently include handwritten captions that provide narrative context.
- Many works evoke a charged queer sensuality, exemplified by his iconic 1968 photograph The Spirit Leaves the Body, depicting a spirit rising from the body of a nude man on a bed.
“My photographs are about questions. They are not about answers,” Michals once remarked.
The Campaign’s Visual and Literary Elements
The campaign features a photo series and a video, shot in Michals's New York home. The titular image shows a young man appearing to sleep on a table near a snow globe featuring New York City landmarks. This image was originally published in Michals’s acclaimed 2002 book Questions Without Answers.
Summary
This collaboration blends Michals’s enigmatic photographic style with Bottega Veneta’s fresh creative vision, presenting a visually compelling exploration of dreams and identity.