Duane Michals Photographs Jacob Elordi for Bottega Veneta
A new campaign by Italian luxury brand Bottega Veneta features actor Jacob Elordi in dreamy black-and-white photographs taken by Duane Michals. This marks the first collaboration since creative director Louise Trotter launched her debut collection for Bottega Veneta during the Milan Spring 2026 shows.
About Duane Michals and His Work
Duane Michals is renowned for his "Sequences," a series of images that tell mysterious stories without clear resolutions, inviting viewers into a captivating experience. Many of his works include brief handwritten captions that add to the narrative. His photography often explores themes of charged queer sensuality, as seen in his iconic 1968 piece The Spirit Leaves the Body, which depicts a spirit rising from a nude man lying on a bed.
“My photographs are about questions. They are not about answers,” Michals said in an interview.
The Bottega Veneta Campaign: "What Are Dreams"
The campaign, titled “What Are Dreams,” was shot in Michals’s New York home. It takes its name from a 1994 photograph by Michals accompanied by a handwritten poem. The image features a handsome young man seemingly asleep on a table beside a snow globe with iconic New York City landmarks.
This photograph was later included in Michals’s acclaimed book Questions Without Answers (2002). The campaign includes a series of photographs and a video, capturing a poetic and dreamlike atmosphere.
Key Elements of the Campaign
- Black-and-white photography
- Dreamlike and enigmatic visual style
- Settings in Michals’s New York home
- Named after Michals’s 1994 image and poem
Author's summary: This campaign blends Duane Michals's evocative photographic style with Bottega Veneta’s contemporary vision, creating an intimate and poetic portrayal of Jacob Elordi.