Jacob Elordi Stars in Bottega Veneta’s Dreamy Campaign
Bottega Veneta has launched “What Are Dreams,” a new campaign featuring Jacob Elordi and created by renowned photographer and filmmaker Duane Michals. The series was shot in black and white at Michals’s New York home, blending reality with imagination through a surreal lens.
Behind the Scenes of the Campaign
The collaboration reflects Michals’s lifelong fascination with surrealism. Across twelve images and a short film, Elordi appears in mysterious, dreamlike settings—framed by elements like a billowing curtain, a convex mirror, or a single floating feather. These motifs are characteristic of Michals’s unique visual style.
Poetic Elements and Visual Storytelling
“I’m very much interested in the realm of the invisible. My problem is, ‘how do I make the invisible visible?’” — Duane Michals
Elordi also recites Michals’s 2001 poem, What Are Dreams, the campaign’s namesake. The poem explores the “midnight movies of the mind…where things look familiar, but not at all the same.” Handwritten excerpts from the poem are integrated throughout the visuals, enhancing the introspective atmosphere.
Artistic Vision and Collaboration
“Of course movie making is also a dream, and Frankenstein is a scary dream. Jacob understood exactly what I was trying to do with the project. He was right there for the magic and the mystery of it.” — Duane Michals
Michals, well known for combining text and photography to express unseen and imagined worlds, described the project as a shared quest for “magic and mystery.”
Additional Note
The British artist also gave CR Fashion Book an exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpse into preparing for the Oscars with Dsquared2's Dean and Dan Caten, highlighting his multifaceted creative engagements.
Summary: Jacob Elordi and Duane Michals unite their creative visions in Bottega Veneta’s evocative “What Are Dreams” campaign, exploring surrealism and the invisible through dreamlike imagery and poetic storytelling.