Bottega Veneta

Bottega Veneta

File:Bottega veneta Logo.svg
Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Fashion
Founded	1966
Headquarters	Vicenza , Italy
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Tomas Maier and Marco Bizzarri
Products	Leather goods
Owner	Gucci
Website	www.bottegaveneta.com

Bottega Veneta is an Italian luxury goods house best known for its leather goods. Founded in 1966, it was purchased in 2001 by Gucci Group, now a part of the French multinational group PPR. Bottega Veneta is headquartered in Vicenza, in the Veneto region of northeastern Italy.

History

Bottega Veneta was established in 1966 by Michele Taddei and Renzo Zengiaro. The name Bottega Veneta means “Venetian atelier” and the company was begun to produce artisanal leather goods. The company’s artisans developed a leather-weaving technique, called intrecciato, that remains a signature of the brand.

Over time Bottega Veneta’s renown grew, thanks to the quality of its craftsmanship and the appeal of its discreet, no-logo design. In the 1970s the company began advertising with the tag line “When your own initials are enough”. By the early 1980s Bottega Veneta was a favorite of the international jet set. Andy Warhol, who did his Christmas shopping in the New York boutique, made a short film for the company in 1980s. Renzo Zengiaro left Bottega Veneta in the late 1970s. Michele Taddei departed a few years later. Vittorio and Laura Moltedo (Laura had previously been married to Taddei) moved from New York to Vicenza to run the company. Over time, Bottega Veneta’s fortunes declined and by the 1990s the brand had abandoned its understated ethos and ventured into more trend-driven fashion territory.

The most recent chapter in Bottega Veneta’s history began in February 2001, when the company was acquired by Gucci Group. Creative Director Tomas Maier came on board in June of that year. and presented his first collection, for Spring-Summer 2002, that fall. The German-born Maier, whose resumé includes positions at Sonia Rykiel and Hermès, set about returning the brand to its original identity. He removed visible logos from the brand’s products, highlighted the signature intrecciato weave prominently, and returned the company’s focus to artisanal production.

File:BV NY Store.jpg

Bottega Veneta Store in New York, USA.

Bottega Veneta Store in Kobe, Japan.

In the years since, Bottega Veneta has introduced additions to the collection, including fine jewelry, eyewear, home fragrance, and furniture, while continuing to offer an assortment of handbags, shoes, small leather goods, luggage, home items, and gifts. Bottega Veneta presented its first women’s ready-to-wear runway show in February 2005 and its first men’s runway show in June 2006. Today, ready-to-wear and furniture presentations are held in the corporate offices in Milan.

In the summer of 2006, in recognition of the importance of artisanal craftsmanship and the diminishing number of master leatherworkers in Italy, Bottega Veneta opened the Scuola della Pelletteria, a school to train and support future generations of leather artisans.

Boutiques

Distribution of Bottega Veneta products is global, encompassing Europe, Asia, and North America through more than 140 of its own stores. Wholesale distribution in select specialty and department stores is complemented by a growing number of Bottega Veneta-owned boutiques, currently located in Italy, United States, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Switzerland, Germany, Greece, Russia, Turkey, Denmark, Sweden, Lebanon, Lithuania, Ukraine, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Guam, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Kuwait, India, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia. Australia will see its first Bottega Veneta store open in 2011 at Westfield Sydney in Sydney

Advertising campaigns

A list of artists have contributed to the creation of Bottega Veneta’s advertising portfolio. Collaborations include Alex Prager (Spring 2011), Nan Goldin (Spring 2010), Steven Meisel (Fall 2009), Larry Sultan (Spring 2009), Todd Eberle (Cruise 2009), Nick Knight (Fall 2008), Sam Taylor-Wood (Spring 2008), Annie Leibovitz (Fall 2007), Tina Barney (Spring 2007), [[Lord