Bottega Veneta () is an Italian
luxury
Luxury may refer to:
* Luxury goods, an economic good or service for which demand increases more than proportionally as income rises
*Luxury tax, tax on products not considered essential, such as expensive cars
**Luxury tax (sports), surcharge pu ...
fashion house based in
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
, Italy. Its product lines include ready-to-wear, handbags, shoes, accessories, and jewelry; and it licenses its name and branding to
Coty, Inc.
Coty Inc. is an American-French multinational beauty company founded in 1904 by François Coty. With its subsidiaries, it develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes fragrances, cosmetics, skin care, nail care, and both professional and re ...
for fragrances.
History
Founding to 1990s
Bottega Veneta was established in 1966 in Vicenza, Italy by Michele Taddei and Renzo Zengiaro. Crafting artisanal leather goods, the brand developed a distinctive leather weaving design, the ''Intrecciato'', which instantly became Bottega Veneta's iconic look.
"''When your own initials are enough''" became the brand's historic slogan because the crafted ''Intrecciato'' made Bottega Veneta's products immediately recognizable, and its logo only appeared discreetly on the inside of its products.
In 1972, Bottega Veneta opened its first store in the USA, in New York City.
In the mid-1970s, the company started to make shoes.
Renzo Zengiaro left the company at the end of the 1970s. Soon after, Michele Taddei handed over the company to his ex-wife Laura Braggion, who headed the company with her second husband Vittorio Moltedo from then on. She moved to New York to develop the company and became a member of the local jetset.
[«Un anno con Andy Warhol poi lanciai Bottega Veneta»](_blank)
Il Mattino di Padova, 11 February 2007 In 1980, the actress
Lauren Hutton carried a Bottega Veneta ''Intrecciato'' bag in the movie ''
American Gigolo''. In 1985,
Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore the relationsh ...
made the short film ''Bottega Veneta Industrial Videotape''.
During the 1990s, Bottega Veneta launched its first ready-to-wear collection.
2000 to present
In February 2001,
Gucci
Gucci (, ; ) is an Italian high-end luxury fashion house based in Florence, Italy. Its product lines include handbags, ready-to-wear, footwear, accessories, and home decoration; and it licenses its name and branding to Coty, Inc. for fragrance ...
a subsidiary of
Kering
Kering () is a French-based multinational corporation specializing in luxury goods. It owns the brands Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Alexander McQueen and Yves Saint Laurent.
The timber-trading company Pinault S.A. was founded in 1963, b ...
, acquired Bottega Veneta for $156 million. The following May, Patrizio di Marco was appointed CEO, and in June
Tomas Maier
Tomas Maier (born 1957) is a German-born designer. From 2001 to 2018, he served as Creative Director at the Italian brand Bottega Veneta.Pascale Denis (June 13, 2018)Bottega Veneta creative director Maier standing down''Reuters''.
Early life and ...
creative director. Vogue coined the term “stealth wealth” to describe the brand's new style.
The brand launched a fashion jewellery line in 2002, followed by a fine jewellery line in 2006. By 2005, the company was profitable again. From 2001 to 2010, Bottega Veneta's sales grew 15-fold. Bottega Veneta presented its first women ready-to-wear runway show in February 2005 and its first men runway show in June 2006.
In January 2009,
Marco Bizzarri
Marco Bizzarri (born 19 August 1962) is an Italian business executive, President and CEO of Gucci since January 2015. succeeded to Patrizio di Marco as CEO of Bottega Veneta. In June 2011, Bottega Veneta launched its first women's fragrance ''Eau de Parfum''. In 2012, Bottega Veneta's sales reached the $1 billion mark.
In 2006, Bottega Veneta launched a 3-year, tuition-free training program in partnership with the 4-century-old ''Scuola d'Arte e Mestieri di Vicenza''. Bottega Veneta launched the Women's Mountain Cooperatives in 2011, independent artisanal leather workshops for unemployed women of the Alto Astico and
Posina
Posina is a town in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, Italy. It is northeast of SS46. As of 2007 Posina had an estimated population of 657. Posina lies at an elevation of at the foot of Mount Majo and Mount Gamonda, Mount Pasubio.
On the whole do ...
mountain community. Bottega Veneta opened a first manufacturing site Manifattura Veneta Pelletterie in
Altavilla Vicentina Altavilla Vicentina is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, northern Italy. It is located southwest of Vicenza
Vicenza ( , ; ) is a city in northeastern Italy. It is in the Veneto region at the northern base of the ''Monte ...
in 2011, and a second in Malo in 2012. In 2011, La ''Scuola dei Maestri Pellettieri di Bottega Veneta'' created a 3-month post-graduate course with the
Università Iuav di Venezia
Iuav University of Venice ( it, Università Iuav di Venezia) is a university in Venice, Italy. It was founded in 1926 as the Istituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia as one of the first Architecture schools in Italy. The university curren ...
to train students to advanced handbag design and product development.
In 2013, Bottega Veneta moved its atelier from Vicenza to a historic 18th-century villa surrounded by a 590,000-square-foot park near
Montebello Vicentino
Montebello Vicentino is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, northern Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middl ...
. The renovation of the property underwent a strict environmental process. Bottega Veneta also opened its first flagship store, a 11,448 square-foot boutique in a historical building on
Via Sant'Andrea
Via Sant'Andrea is a luxury shopping street in Milan, Italy, forming part of the ''quadrilatero della moda'', along with Via Montenapoleone, Via della Spiga, Via Manzoni and Corso Venezia.
Shops
*Alba Eloisa d'Alessandro
*Antonio Fusco
*Ballant ...
in Milan.
In April 2014, Marco Bizzarri stepped down as CEO of Bottega Veneta and Carlo Alberto Beretta became the company's new CEO in January 2015.
In 2016, the brand's second flagship store opened on North
Rodeo Drive
Rodeo Drive is a street in Beverly Hills, California, with its southern segment in the City of Los Angeles. Its southern terminus is at Beverwil Drive, and its northern terminus is at its intersection with Sunset Boulevard in Beverly Hills. The ...
in Beverly Hills. The company announced it would unify its men and women's shows. During the company's 50th anniversary show at the
Accademia di Brera
The Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera ("academy of fine arts of Brera"), also known as the or Brera Academy, is a state-run tertiary public academy of fine arts in Milan, Italy. It shares its history, and its main building, with the Pinacoteca di ...
, the Bottega Veneta clutch bag carried by
Lauren Hutton in the 1980 movie ''
American Gigolo'' was revived (and renamed ''The Lauren 1980''). In October 2016, Claus-Dietrich Lahrs was appointed CEO of Bottega Veneta. In 2018, Bottega Veneta opened a 6-floor flagship store in
Ginza, Tokyo
Ginza ( ; ja, 銀座 ) is a district of Chūō, Tokyo, located south of Yaesu and Kyōbashi, west of Tsukiji, east of Yūrakuchō and Uchisaiwaichō, and north of Shinbashi. It is a popular upscale shopping area of Tokyo, with numerous intern ...
, in a building designed as a tribute to the capital's architectural
modernism
Modernism is both a philosophy, philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western world, Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new fo ...
. In January 2018, Bottega Veneta opened a 15,000-square-foot store - its third flagship store - on the corner of
Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
Place names
* Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
and
64th Street in New York City.
In June 2018, Tomas Maier stepped down as creative director of Bottega Veneta.
Daniel Lee
In June 2018, Kering appointed
Daniel Lee as creative director of Bottega Veneta. Lee launched the Pouch
clutch bag which became the fastest selling bag in the history of the brand. He maintained the brand's emphasis on well-crafted, logo-less and simplicity-driven products. The brand is also credited with reviving the trend for square-toe heels.
In June 2019, Kering appointed Bartolomeo Rongone as CEO of Bottega Veneta.
The company announced the opening of a third, 64,583-foot-square ''Manifattura Veneta Pelletterie'' site in
Dueville and opened its first store in Miami (the first under the direction of Daniel Lee). In 2019, Bottega Veneta won four awards during the
British Fashion Awards
The Fashion Awards, known as the British Fashion Awards until 2016, is an annual ceremony established in the United Kingdom in 1989 to showcase both British and international individuals and businesses who have made the most outstanding contribu ...
. By the end of 2019, as the sales of
Gucci
Gucci (, ; ) is an Italian high-end luxury fashion house based in Florence, Italy. Its product lines include handbags, ready-to-wear, footwear, accessories, and home decoration; and it licenses its name and branding to Coty, Inc. for fragrance ...
started to deflate, Bottega Veneta turned into
Kering
Kering () is a French-based multinational corporation specializing in luxury goods. It owns the brands Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Alexander McQueen and Yves Saint Laurent.
The timber-trading company Pinault S.A. was founded in 1963, b ...
's next rising star. In 2020, Bottega Veneta's sales reached 1.140 billion euros.
On the 6th January 2021, Bottega Veneta created a buzz in the luxury industry by unexpectedly shutting down its
social media
Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social medi ...
accounts. The move was followed by the creation of a digital journal, ''Issued by Bottega'', leaving Bottega Veneta to rely on clients, influencers, collaborators, and fans to spread the company's news. Monthly fashion shows were replaced by private staged trunk shows called ''Salons''.
The fashion house reinvented its shows with industrial setups and hip-hop guest stars.
In April 2021, the Berlin police investigated Bottega Veneta's Salon afterparty, as described by the venues staff, at the
Soho House (club)
Soho House is a chain restaurant. The original location is at 40 Greek Street, Soho, London. The company now operates clubs, hotels and venues around the world, and in 2015 changed from SOHO House Group to Soho House & Co. Membership is select ...
, without social distancing or masking during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On November 10, 2021, Bottega Veneta and Lee announced Lee would be leaving his post as creative director in a "joint decision to end their collaboration."
Matthieu Blazy
In late 2021, Kering appointed Matthieu Blazy, former design director at Bottega Veneta, as the new creative director of the company,
who is expected to maintain Lee's New Bottega style.
Under Blazy, Bottega Veneta shows returned to Milan and the company revealed plans to move its headquarters into Milan's Palazzo San Fedele before the end of 2023.
[Luisa Zargani (23 February 2022)]
Bottega Veneta’s CEO Maps Out Strategies as Brand Returns to MFW
''Women's Wear Daily
''Women's Wear Daily'' (also known as ''WWD'') is a fashion-industry trade journal often referred to as the "Bible of fashion".Horyn, Cathy"Breaking Fashion News With a Provocative Edge" ''The New York Times''. (August 20, 1999). It provides infor ...
''. Bottega Veneta has sponsored the
Venice Dance Biennale since 2021 and the Festival de Hyères since 2022.
Corporate structure
;CEOs
* 2001–2008: Patrizio di Marco
* 2009–2014:
Marco Bizzarri
Marco Bizzarri (born 19 August 1962) is an Italian business executive, President and CEO of Gucci since January 2015.
* 2015–2016: Carlo Beretta
* 2016–2019: Claus-Dietrich Lahrs
* Since 2019: Bartolomeo Rongone
;Creative directors
* 1966–1970s: Renzo Zengiaro
* 1980s–2001: Laura Braggion
* 2001–2018:
Tomas Maier
Tomas Maier (born 1957) is a German-born designer. From 2001 to 2018, he served as Creative Director at the Italian brand Bottega Veneta.Pascale Denis (June 13, 2018)Bottega Veneta creative director Maier standing down''Reuters''.
Early life and ...
* 2018–2021:
Daniel Lee
* Since 2021: Matthieu Blazy
Bibliography
*
*
*
References
External links
*
''Issued by Bottega'' the brand's online magazine
*
{{Authority control
Italian brands
Clothing retailers of Italy
Shoe companies of Italy
Fashion accessory brands
High fashion brands
Jewellery retailers of Italy
Luxury brands
Perfume houses
Italian suit makers
Watch brands
Watch manufacturing companies of Italy
Companies based in Milan
Design companies established in 1966
Clothing companies established in 1966
Retail companies established in 1966
Italian companies established in 1966
Kering brands
Clothing brands of Italy