Duane Michals Photographs Jacob Elordi for Bottega Veneta
A new campaign by Italian luxury brand Bottega Veneta presents a poetic black-and-white series featuring actor Jacob Elordi, photographed by Duane Michals. The collaboration marks the first major visual project since creative director Louise Trotter's debut collection during the Milan Spring 2026 shows.
A Tribute to Dreams and Questions
The campaign, titled “What Are Dreams,” takes inspiration from Michals’s 1994 image and poem of the same name. Shot in Michals’s New York home, the work combines photography and video, exploring themes of mystery, imagination, and serenity.
“My photographs are about questions. They are not about answers.” — Duane Michals
Duane Michals’s Vision
Duane Michals is best known for his “Sequences” — photographic stories that capture ambiguous moments without clear resolution, inviting viewers to reflect rather than conclude. His signature handwritten captions often enhance the emotional and narrative depth of his images.
One of his most recognized works, The Spirit Leaves the Body (1968), portrays the ethereal separation of a nude man’s spirit rising from his physical form. This charged and introspective energy resonates throughout his career and continues in the Bottega Veneta collaboration.
Legacy and Reflection
The 1994 photograph “What Are Dreams,” featuring a young man resting beside a snow globe displaying New York City landmarks, was later included in Michals’s book Questions Without Answers (2002). Its inclusion connects the Bottega campaign to Michals’s long-standing fascination with dreams, identity, and perception.
Author’s Summary: A poetic collaboration between Duane Michals and Jacob Elordi for Bottega Veneta explores identity, dreams, and the art of unanswered questions through monochrome imagery and timeless introspection.