The fashion house welcomes Mr Daniel Lee.

Bottega Veneta has appointed Mr Daniel Lee as its creative director. If you haven’t heard of Mr Lee, you’re not alone. In a world where the fashion designers at famous fashion houses have more and more in common with celebrities (see Mr Virgil Abloh’s appointment at Louis Vuitton or Mr Hedi Slimane at Céline), it’s always exciting when a relative unknown snags one of the big jobs.

Mr Lee, who graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2011, put in stints at Maison Margiela, Donna Karan and Balenciaga before joining Céline in 2012 where he worked until recently. He succeeds Mr Tomas Maier at the post, who stepped down from the helm of the brand earlier this week.

Bottega Veneta belongs to luxury conglomerate Kering, and is well known for its craftsmanship in producing sophisticated, timeless clothing and accessories in exquisite fabrics, particularly Italian leather. In a press release announcing Mr Lee’s appointment, Mr Claus-Dietrich Lahrs, CEO of Bottega Veneta, said “Daniel Lee has a deep understanding of the House’s current challenges both in terms of creation and development. He will bring to Bottega Veneta a new and distinctive creative language that will continue building the House’s success based on the ambitious foundations already developed over recent years.”

It remains to be seen what Mr Lee, who is only 32, will do with Bottega Veneta, but whether he continues with Mr Maier’s understated aesthetic or brings a fresh, youthful perspective to the brand, we’re looking forward to finding out.