Ever since the news broke last week of designer Daniel Lee suddenly parting ways with Bottega Veneta, where he served as creative director for three years, and being replaced with Matthieu Blazy from within, some couldn’t help but wonder, What the heck happened? Was this an amicable split, or did something more dramatic go down?
In a press release last week, the Italian fashion house said the end of its “collaboration” with Lee was a “joint decision,” and no further details have been officially confirmed. However, on Wednesday night, fashion writer Louis Pisano tweeted the following: “Allegedly, and this comes from an INCREDIBLY close to the matter and reliable source: Daniel Lee was promptly fired by Francois-Henri Pinault after he allegedly called someone a ‘fucking N- - - - -’ in a meeting at Bottega Veneta.” Pisano declined a request from the Cut to speak further.
Early Thursday morning, Kering responded on Twitter. “We deny what you have been told and what you have shared about the reasons of the departure of Daniel Lee from Bottega Veneta,” the company wrote.
Kering did not respond to the Cut’s request for comment at press time. Lee also could not be immediately reached.
