When paparazzi photos of A$AP Rocky taking a jog through LA wearing a grey sweatsuit appeared online, the internet went into a frenzy. Not only was it somewhat odd – we’ve never seen him on a run before – reports started to surface that he wasn’t jogging in just any sweatsuit. A$AP took to the streets of LA to take a jog, sweat even, in a Bottega Veneta sweatsuit. And it costed a whopping $13,200. And it was leather.
In the days that followed, A$AP was spotted doing seemingly normal activities, clad head to toe in Bottega Veneta. Shortly thereafter, A$AP clarified his re-obsession with the brand (it’s important to note, A$AP has always been a Bottega stan). As it turns out, the rapper was the newest star in Bottega Veneta’s Pre-Spring 2024 campaign. The concept? Capture him musing about Los Angeles, doing everyday things, dripped head to toe in the brands clothing and accessories.
A$AP took to Instagram to formally announce the collaboration. The rapper stated “Throughout history, there has always been a funny relationship between photographers and celebrities. Even down to the rights and the usage of photos, and the tabloid hustle, there’s always seemed to be a disconnection between famous people and the photographers who follow & film them. While certain celebrities call paparazzi on themselves, other celebrities might get confrontational with photographers. While a very small few, such as myself, don’t mind, as long as they post the good angles, of course.”
The rapper continued, “So, in good light of good angled photos, myself and the creative minds at Bottega Veneta thought it would be genius to bridge that gap and utilize my every day lifestyle type of photos taken by candid photographers while I do my everyday thing. So this serves less as a campaign and more as a creative trifecta brought to you by Bottega Veneta’s Matthieu Blazy, myself A$AP Rocky, and the talented tabloid style photographers involved. Cheers & thank you”.
Not a few days later, Kendall Jenner followed suit with a similar formula. The model was seen getting groceries, pumping gas, heading to Sushi Park and walking her massive doberman, Pyro, in out of this world Bottega ensembles. We knew something was up, as we typically see the model in off-duty Alo outfits while out and about. This version of Jenner, pumping gas in a $4,300 Bottega Veneta jacket, was just the opposite.
It’s no secret the world is obsessed with celebrity. Catching a glimpse of your favorite starlet or musician via a paparazzi photo is a tale as old as time (or at least, the early aughts). What’s new, though, is our near constant access to our favorites thanks to the evolution of online communities. We don’t have to wait for the latest paparazzi shot to see what the 1% is up to. Bottega Veneta and A$AP Rocky finding a way to make paparazzi photos feel like they did circa 2005 is not only brilliant, but a testament to the creativity of both the artist and the brand.
You can browse Bottega Veneta’s Pre-Spring lookbook here. The collection is available in person at Bottega Veneta boutiques or online at bottegaveneta.com.
