Stepping into the Bottega Veneta showspace at Milan Design Week was like walking into a dream or a child’s imagination. Gone were the traditional rows of benches or chic bistro chairs you’d expect at a fashion show. Instead, guests were sitting in a surreal menagerie of 460 animal-shaped beanbags. Yes, beanbags. This playful twist was part of creative director Matthieu Blazy’s vision to evoke a sense of childhood wonder, a theme throughout the following fantastical collection.
“I was interested in the power of ‘wow’,” Blazy shared post-show, clearly intent on giving us all the ultimate ‘wow’ moment. And wow, he delivered.
The seating itself was a nod to an Italian design classic: the Sacco easy chair, crafted in 1968 by Piero Gatti, Cesare Paolini, and Franco Teodoro for Zanotta. Only this time, Sacco’s modernism got a magical animal kingdom makeover. The seats—fifteen different animals in total—ranged from whale tails to cat heads and pairs of rabbit ears. As if Spielberg’s E.T. had just gone and played hide-and-seek in your wardrobe, but instead of toys, we got some seriously luxe leather companions. Because why shouldn’t a ladybug beanbag be high fashion?
These animal-shaped furniture pieces, part of a collection named The Ark, are now for sale. Limited-edition beanbags—just two of each species, naturally—can be yours for anywhere between €6000 to €8000. Fancy a chicken with a leather plaque and a detachable tail? Done. Want a snap-button bunny? You got it. Each piece also comes with an intrecciato leather handle, so you can easily carry your new beanbag friend to its rightful throne in your home.
And if you missed out on the first drop, don’t worry—Bottega’s bringing The Ark to Design Miami in December. After all, if you’re going to invest in a beanbag, it might as well be one that looks like it came straight out of a Spielberg flick, right? Blazy’s collection reminds us of the power of play and imagination, with the lines between high fashion and childhood dreams blur.
