On a quiet morning in early January 2021, Bottega Veneta disappeared from Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. At first glance, the brand’s decision to delete social media accounts appeared counterintuitive. With over 2.5 million followers on Instagram alone, the brand had a formidable online presence that significantly contributed to its marketing and consumer engagement. So why pull the plug? The answers lie in cultural critique, strategic marketing, and an attempt to reinforce the brand’s elite status.

Critique of Social Media Homogenization

Daniel Lee, who joined Bottega Veneta in October 2019, has long been vocal about his dissatisfaction with how social media shapes culture. During a media interaction, he pointed out that the prevailing social media landscape fosters a homogenization of culture, where the pursuit of likes often stifles creativity and originality and follows. This sentiment is rooted in Lee’s experiences at Céline under Phoebe Philo, a period marked by a pre-Instagram…