Bottega Veneta – craftsmanship combined with modernity
Bottega Veneta is no longer one of the forgotten fashion houses. The Italian company can not only look back on a long history , but also enjoys an ever-increasing reputation in the fashion industry.
Story
The fashion house was founded in 1966 by the entrepreneurs Michele Taddei and Renzi Zengiaro in Veincenza, Venice. The name Bottega Veneta is no coincidence. Translated, Bottega Veneta means " Venetian workshop ". The two entrepreneurs set themselves the goal of perfecting the artisanal production of leather goods and bags. They created a new standard of luxury and redefined the term. A special trademark is the typical leather braid pattern, which is called " Intrecciato ". Intrecciato means "braided". This special pattern can be found on many products from Bottega Veneta.
At the beginning of the 1970s, the company began to advertise with a very special slogan: " When your own initials are enought ". With this slogan, Bottega Veneta wanted to draw attention to the fact that it did not use the brand logo on its products. In 1972, the entrepreneurs opened the first boutique outside of Italy on Madison Avenue in Manhattan, New York City. At this time, Laura Braggio , the wife of Michele Taddei, took over the management of the American business. Towards the end of the 1970s, Michele Taddei and Renzi Zengiaro withdrew from the business. Taddei's ex-wife Laura Braggio took over the creative direction and her new husband Vittorio Moltedo took over the management.
Bottega Veneta was already part of the international jet set in the early 1980s. Their customers included Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Farah Phalari . Andy Warhol was also a big fan of the Italian fashion house. His enthusiasm was so great that he made a short film about Bottega Veneta. Over time, the company's success began to wane. The fashion house made the mistake of changing its image and began to decorate the designer bags with the logo and neglected quality.
Towards the end of the 1990s, the first clothing line was launched under the direction of Laura Motedos and presented at Milan Fashion Week.
At the beginning of the 2000s, Bottega Veneta set up its headquarters and design studio in downtown Milan . In 2001, the company went bankrupt and was bought by the Gucci Group , which is now part of the luxury goods group Kering . When the ownership changed, Laura Motedos left the company, which meant that the clothing line was discontinued for the time being. Tom Ford, who was creative director at Gucci at the time, appointed the German designer Tomas Maier as head designer of Bottega Veneta in June 2001. Tomas Maier brings many years of professional experience to the company and with his German finesse, he awakened the untapped potential of the fashion house, achieving great success. His aesthetic understanding is characterized by understatement , which reflects the fashion house's clear design line . One of Maier's first acts was to remove the logos from the bags. He also brought the Interecciato braiding pattern back into the foreground and placed more and more emphasis on craftsmanship, which led to the bags' quality continuing to improve.
In 2005, the first ready-to-wear collection was presented at Milan Fashion Week under the direction of Tomas Maier. The following year, the first men's fashion show followed. In 2006, the “ Scuola della Pelletteria ” was founded. A school designed to promote and train the future generation of leather craftsmen. In 2016, the company celebrated its 50th anniversary. On June 13, 2018, Tomas Maier left Bottega Veneta and just two days later, Englishman Daniel Lee was appointed the new head designer. Daniel Lee works closely with the artisans to implement his own ideas and uphold the house's long-standing values. The result is timeless bags , shoes and garments that make the hearts of the fashion world beat faster. He combines traditional craftsmanship with modernity . Through this union, the company creates an incomparable end product that is manufactured with the utmost perfectionism , which has enabled Bottega Veneta to quickly become one of the most sought-after fashion brands. Today, with its approximately 250 boutiques worldwide, the company is the second largest revenue generator in the Gucci Group.
The bags
Bottega Veneta has an exclusive range of different bags. The soft leather and the high-quality workmanship make the designer bag not just any bag, but a Bottega Veneta. The braided pattern is not just a distinguishing feature, but also an understatement. Daniel Lee is rather reserved with his designs for Bottega Veneta. The fashion house's logo can only be found on the inside of the designer bags. He does not focus on short-lived trends, but on timeless luxury. The designer bags are all made by hand. This exclusivity reflects the company philosophy.
The house's most popular bags include the Nodini , Cabat and Knot Bag . With his groundbreaking understanding of design, Daniel Lee created the Padded Casette and Arco . The two models are particularly popular in the fashion world and can currently be seen everywhere. In our boutique and online shop you will find not only used but also new Bottega Veneta bags. We look forward to your visit!
