Duane Michals Photographs Jacob Elordi for Bottega Veneta
The new Bottega Veneta campaign featuring Jacob Elordi was photographed by Duane Michals and titled “What Are Dreams.” The title comes from Michals’s 1994 image and handwritten poem of the same name. The black-and-white campaign was captured inside Michals’s New York home and includes both still images and a short film.
This is the first major collaboration between Michals and Bottega Veneta since creative director Louise Trotter presented her debut collection for the Italian luxury brand during Milan’s Spring 2026 shows in September. The campaign showcases a poetic and introspective atmosphere that connects fashion with Michals’s signature sense of mystery.
Duane Michals’s Artistic Vision
Michals is celebrated for his “Sequences” — photographic series that tell enigmatic stories without clear resolutions yet hold emotional depth. His work often explores identity, memory, and the metaphysical, accompanied by handwritten captions that build subtle narratives.
“My photographs are about questions. They are not about answers.”
Among his notable pieces is the 1968 work The Spirit Leaves the Body, in which the spirit of a nude man seems to rise from his body and move toward the camera, reflecting themes of life and transcendence. Such imagery carries a charged and personal sensuality that has become central to his visual vocabulary.
The Meaning Behind "What Are Dreams"
The original 1994 photograph “What Are Dreams” portrays a young man seemingly asleep beside a snow globe of famous New York landmarks. This evocative image later appeared in Michals’s collection Questions Without Answers (2002), representing the artist’s fascination with dreams and introspection.
Through Jacob Elordi’s calm presence and Michals’s timeless photography, the campaign bridges the dreamy poeticism of art with the refined minimalism of Bottega Veneta’s design ethos.
Author Summary: The campaign unites Duane Michals’s introspective artistry with Jacob Elordi’s modern presence, capturing Bottega Veneta’s vision through dreamlike storytelling.