To celebrate the opening of The Invisible Store and the launch of the Pre Fall 2020 collection, Bottega Veneta hosted a party on July 3rd

Subverting the idea of perception, and making innovative use of the tension between the seen and unseen, Bottega Veneta, the masters of quiet luxury, revealed its latest pop up occupying the atrium of Plaza 66 in the heart of Shanghai, in magnificent form. Dubbed The Invisible Store, Bottega Veneta’s new and dynamic pop-up concept in a post-pandemic Shanghai embodies the brand’s core values of subtlety and self-confidence.

Marketing is all about visibility. But visibility is not necessarily about being loud. – Dario Gargiulo, Chief Marketing Officer, Bottega Veneta

Transcending the idea of physical limitation, Bottega Veneta’s Invisible Store reflects its surroundings, echoing the true essence of Bottega Veneta – one which is happy to put its wearer at its fore bereft of logo or motif. A pioneer of quiet streetwear, the sacrosanct values of the truly wealthy are exemplified in a philosophy of discretion, sensuality and joy.

Bottega Veneta’s Invisible Store in Shanghai Plaza 66 literally reflects its Brand values

According to Susanna Koelblin, a Global Apparel Commercialization & Sourcing Leader focused on the Intersection of Sustainability & Fashion, “Modesty is one of the Covid-19 legacy that will remain – at least in the short-term. This is manifest when you look at the latest fashion shows and how brands communicated recently. This is today’s Zeitgeist and was always the way how Bottega Venetta branded its products. No ridiculous oversized labels and lettering that makes everyone like a living advertising board, Bottega always stands for a reserved and timeless style.”

“Don’t work very hard to seek your client. Work smart and the client will seek you.” – Shreya Gupta, luxury client advisor

Indeed, the commentary is not lost on artists like Doug Aitken, who developed a Mirror House in Gstaad, Switzerland, and Milan-based, Peter Pichler Architecture who designed a pair of mirrored holiday homes just outside the city of Bolzano, showcases quiet chameleons in the nature, yet still making a bold statement. Pandemic or not, Bottega Veneta has been setting an example over years living by the principle, “You don’t need logos for confidence where your own initial are enough”

From a marketing standpoint, the fact that the store isn’t easily recognisable continues to draw the attention of onlookers and potential customers to it. Shreya Gupta, a luxury enthusiast currently working as a Client Advisor for one of the world’s most recognised brands said it best, “Don’t work very hard to seek your client. Work smart and the client will seek you.”

The design of Bottega Veneta’s Invisible Store in Shanghai’s Plaza 66  speaks volumes of the brand ethos in an era where many brands have been criticised for “tone deaf” marketing efforts where many are struggling to make ends meet. Resonating strongly with millennials while remaining on brand has been particularly difficult given that the global quarantine has had a decimating effect on global travel and retail.

Rebelling from a world of loud and visible branding, the made-you-look-twice facade goes almost entirely unseen, camouflaged by the reflections of logoed windows and signs inside the luxury mall’s atrium. Within Bottega Veneta’s  Invisible Store in Shanghai’s Plaza 66, reflective surfaces toy with light and space in a journey of optical illusion.

Measuring over 100 square meters, Bottega’s pop-up store showcases a selection of pieces from the Pre Fall 2020 collection for both men and women, including ready-to-wear, bags, small leather goods, shoes, jewellery and eyewear. Now open till Sunday 19 July 2020.