Euphoria’s Nate Jacobs wears Bottega Veneta — and fans aren’t happy

A single trailer moment has ignited fierce debate online: Jacob Elordi’s character Nate Jacobs, a rough-edged construction worker in HBO’s Euphoria, spotted wearing a Matthieu Blazy look from Bottega Veneta’s spring 2023 collection. The trompe l’oeil leather flannel and jeans — famously worn by Kate Moss on the runway — cost several thousand dollars, and fans were quick to notice.

When brand deals follow actors onto screen

Jacob Elordi is a known Bottega Veneta ambassador, and audiences — now increasingly fluent in celebrity brand partnerships — were quick to connect the dots. Critics argue the placement pulls viewers out of the story entirely, pointing to how great costume design typically works invisibly, quietly serving the character rather than overshadowing them. While luxury brand appearances on screen are not new — Kristen Stewart wore Chanel in Spencer, and Lily-Rose Depp did the same in The Idol — those felt more narratively coherent. A multi-thousand-dollar leather flannel on a construction worker in a gritty teen drama is a harder sell.

A growing tension between fashion and storytelling

The moment also raises broader questions about where Hollywood fashion is heading. Balenciaga is reportedly involved with Euphoria Season 3 as well, following a partnership between the house and show creator Sam Levinson. Contrast this with Jonathan Anderson’s approach on Challengers — creating entirely new pieces for the film before later selling them through Loewe — which felt more seamlessly integrated. As fashion and film grow ever more entangled, the challenge for costume designers is clear: how do you serve the character when the actor’s off-screen contracts keep showing up on screen?