For the newest campaign from Bottega Veneta, A$AP Rocky staged paparazzi shots.
A$AP Rocky garnered headlines last month when he jogged noticeably in Beverly Hills—an uncommon sight for a guy of his physical stature. He was wearing a gray sweatsuit and brightly colored shoes and joking with the photographers. One photographer lost her shoes in the chase and had to sprint barefoot in the end.
It turns out that A$AP Rocky was jogging while entirely clad in Bottega Veneta clothing. The photographs from that day have now been the main focus of an advertisement campaign for Bottega Veneta, which will be unveiled this week. The images show Kendall Jenner and Rocky sporting the brand while going about their regular urban bicoastal lives. The images, which include the brand’s sophisticated emblem, show the pair eating at Sushi Park and Carbone and running, gas pumping, dog walking, and pumping gas.
The photos were licensed by Bottega Veneta from well-known paparazzi picture providers Getty and Backgrid, per a press email from the company. The ad presents an interesting example of chicken or egg: While the images seem to have been shot in an authentic street-style setting, they were professionally staged to highlight the brand’s apparel. It’s an example of created reality, a spoof of unguarded celebrity flair.
A$AP Rocky posted his thoughts on Instagram, acknowledging the long-standing and often comical interaction between celebrities and photographers, suggesting that he is aware of this dynamic. He accepted the mismatch between picture use and rights and the bustle of the tabloids. While some celebrities may confront photographers, others may call out paparazzi directly. On the other hand, Rocky acknowledged his willingness and said it didn’t bother him as long as they got the best perspectives.
Personally, Rocky has a history of hiring out pseudo-casual paparazzi portraits. For example, in early 2022, he and Rihanna hired well-known paparazzi Diggzy to capture their first pregnancy announcement. Later that autumn, they hired him again for a set of family photos that included the Fenty-Mayers clan. Naturally, Rocky dressed entirely in Bottega for the later photo session.
Bottega Veneta is following in the footsteps of premium fashion labels by using tabloid-style images in its advertising campaigns. Notably, in September, Bad Bunny and Kendall Jenner appeared for a Gucci campaign to give the impression that photographers were openly following them around an airport. This strategy has been used before; in 2018, Kim Kardashian starred in a campaign like this one for her then-husband Ye’s Yeezy line. The media becomes an essential component of the message in luxury fashion, advertising, and celebrities, which may account for the stylistic impact that permeates modern clothing.