Euphoria's bottega blunder: is fashion's influence crossing a line?

The latest trailer for Euphoria season 3 has sparked a debate far removed from the show’s usual explorations of teenage angst and addiction. It’s about a flannel shirt and a pair of jeans—specifically, a trompe l’oeil leather look from Bottega Veneta’s spring 2023 collection, worn by Jacob Elordi as Nate Jacobs. The moment, fleeting as it was, has ignited a firestorm of commentary, raising questions about brand integration, costume design, and the blurring lines between an actor's on-screen persona and their off-screen endorsements.

The price of cool: can nate jacobs afford bottega?

The internet, naturally, erupted. Fans questioned how a character whose backstory involves financial instability could suddenly sport a multi-thousand-dollar ensemble. This isn’t merely about narrative consistency; it’s about the growing awareness of how deeply intertwined Fashion and film have become. As Madeleine Schulz, US editor at Vogue Business, keenly observed, “Everyone’s so across brand ambassadorships these days. We know Jacob is a Bottega boy, so fans are eagle-eyed about spotting him in the brand.” This isn’t a new phenomenon—Kristen Stewart’s Chanel presence in Spencer and Lily Rose Depp’s ubiquitous Chanel sunglasses in The Idol offer recent precedents—but the Bottega look feels particularly jarring, a stark visual disconnect from the show’s gritty realism.

Christian Allaire, senior Fashion writer at Vogue, voiced a sentiment shared by many: “For a lot of people, the Bottega look will take them out of the show—it feels a little too Fashion?” The core principle of great costume design, after all, is subtlety. It should enhance the narrative, not hijack it. The overt display of luxury clashes with the show's established aesthetic, a testament to the increasing complexities faced by costume designers in the age of celebrity endorsements.

Alexandra Hildreth, Fashion news writer at Vogue Runway, pointed to a more meta perspective. “We’ve reached an ultra-meta point in Fashion discourse. Now, people are debating whether or not it’s realistic that his character could afford such a look five years in Euphoria’s future.” The reality, she concedes, is likely improbable, but unreality has always been a fixture in costume and set design—think of the impossibly chic apartments in early 2000s rom-coms. However, this awareness now overshadows the potential reasons behind the choice.

Contracts and costumes: when brand ambassadorships intrude

The elephant in the room, of course, is the financial reality of Hollywood productions. Brand ambassadorships, while typically confined to red carpets and press appearances, are increasingly making their way onto the screen. “Absolutely,” confirmed Schulz. “Brand ambassadorships are, more often than not, relegated to the red carpet and press appearances, but we have seen them on screen before.” The question, then, becomes: how much does Jacob Elordi’s relationship with Bottega Veneta dictate his character’s wardrobe?

Hannah Jackson, a fashion writer, succinctly put it: “If they wanted him in a flannel and jeans, did it have to be Bottega?” The answer, it seems, is not as simple as a straight yes or no. As Christian Allaire noted, “I personally hate when an actor’s offscreen style bleeds into their roles—your literal job is to play a character, and to succumb to the look no matter what.” The risk is that the show’s narrative integrity is sacrificed at the altar of brand synergy.

Jonathan Anderson’s recent work on Challengers, where he costumed Josh O’Connor in entirely new Loewe pieces, offers a contrasting model—a collaboration that feels more organically integrated. The key, it appears, lies in a collaborative approach, where designers and filmmakers work together from the outset to build a shared world. Independent brands, however, face a different set of challenges, as Renaissance Renaissance’s Cynthia Merhej discovered when designing costumes for Bonjour Tristesse; the expense of bringing a brand to the screen can be prohibitive.

With Balenciaga already having a significant presence in Euphoria, thanks to a partnership with creator Sam Levinson, the Bottega moment begs the question: will we see even more high-fashion moments this season? The show's willingness to embrace luxury, as evidenced by Demna’s previous work bridging the brand with youth culture, suggests that such a scenario is increasingly likely. The lines between art and commerce continue to blur, leaving audiences to grapple with the implications for storytelling and authenticity. Perhaps the most telling observation comes from Alexandra Hildreth: