The Big-Time Bottega Veneta Boots Just Keep Coming

Bottega Veneta has come a long way from a somewhat niche bag brand into a global powerhouse within luxury fashion. That is thanks in part to a top-tier, nearly two-decade run from designer Tomas Maier, and most recently, Daniel Lee, who took over at the helm a few years back. The label has undoubtedly received a boost, at least here in America, thanks to Kanye West, who seemed to live in the label’s Chelsea boots for a better part of the 2010s. At some point near the end of Maier’s tenure, Bottega Veneta became synonymous with great boots. Lee, who has definitely switched things up since taking over, has also kept the brand’s strong footwear lineage going.

The first mega hit was the Puddle boot (and matching clog), a play of the rubber rain boots you probably tramped around in as a kid. Lee offered the style in several shocking colors—chartreuse, neon blue, banana yellow—and the bold look was quickly embraced by fashion’s more esoteric dressers. (Especially those with a pretty advanced-level taste in footwear, like author David Sedaris, sneaker designer Salehe Bembury and curator Antwaun Sargent, for example.) 

Then came the absolute stomper dubbed the Tire boot, a supercharged play on a Chelsea boot that came outfitted with a heavy-duty lug outsole. Now, Bottega Veneta is introducing the Puddle Bomber and Flash boots, two forthcoming styles that mix old with new.

Both boots toe the line between high-end fashion and straight-up utility. The Puddle Bomber plays heavily into its namesake predecessor, taking the minimalist silhouette and adding a big pinch of utility in the form of a hiking-inspired lacing system and the addition of some sporty mesh fabric. On the flip side, the Flash boot brings a more space-age look to the table. It’s a tall Chelsea boot with a futuristically arched sole that features forward-looking ridges and panels. And true to New Bottega form, all of the kicks are offered in black and white, as well as more showy shades like pastel pink and kelly green.

It’s a daunting task to play into an iconic house’s legacy while simultaneously pushing it to new heights. (Especially considering that under Maier, the brand was known for a quieter type of luxury.) Yet, Lee keeps bringing great Bottega Veneta boot after great Bottega Veneta boot—and that is, quite literally by the size of these bad boys, no small task.