July 24, 2025 | Posted in Blog
Italian luxury has a hold on the fashion world, and it doesn’t seem to be letting go anytime soon. Not many brands represent this more than Bottega Veneta, the fashion house that creates innovative designs while still honouring its past. Think Italian Riviera but with a modern twist.
Art and craft take centre stage within its designs, but its ability to create viral pieces is what keeps the brand relevant. If you haven’t seen one of its stunning designs, you may be living under a fashion rock, but luckily for you, we’re here to help.
We’re taking a look at Bottega Veneta’s humble beginnings and impact on the fashion industry, plus we’re sharing some of our fave products from the brand.
Since its inception, Bottega has championed craftsmanship and sophisticated design; however, in the modern era of the brand, a contemporary edge has become a priority. The fashion house offers clothes, accessories, shoes, jewellery, and even homeware, but it is the bags that set it apart.
Renzo Zengiaro began working in the leather goods industry in his teens but it wasn’t until he was 34 that he would branch out on his own. He would join up with friend, Michele Taddei and they would form Bottega Veneta in 1966. Originally, the brand was based in Vicenza, Italy and the duo would focus on quality leather goods like bags.
Bottega Veneta actually translates to ‘Venetian workshop’, which was more than fitting.
Zengiaro had an interest in architecture and design, and Taddei had some key connections which got them access to the materials from a tannery in Naples. This would end up being the perfect combination for fashion success as they tapped into the consumer’s need for elegance and top tier craftsmanship.
Despite structured bags being popular at the time, they’d be inspired by Vicenza’s traditional textile-wool, creating soft leather bags with a woven design. The iconic ‘Intrecciato’ weaving technique was also implemented to compensate for their sewing machine’s lack of strength, but fashion history can call this a happy accident, as it is now the brand’s signature.
In the 60s and 70s, alongside their braided bags, Bottega Veneta focused on stylish, minimalist designs. Understated elegance and the brand’s slogan, ‘When your own initials are enough’ would take centre stage.
To this day, Bottega doesn’t have a logo as they believe the quality says enough without needing to announce itself. It was refreshing at its inception, and we’d say it remains pretty refreshing now.
In 1972, the brand would step out of Italy and open its first international store in New York City and also in that decade the brand would add shoes to its roster.
Bottega’s discreet approach to design would begin to grow old and, in the late 70s Renzo Zengiaro’s departure would solidify the need for a switch up.
Taddei’s former wife, Laura Moltedo, became the creative director and brought in the new era with the famous and oh so fabulous ‘The Lauren 1980’ clutch.
Moltedo played a huge part in the brand’s expansion as she guided the brand through 12 stores opening in the states, then five in Europe and four in Asia.
In the 80s, Bottega was seen as a staple for a host of celebs and artists, with even Andy Warhol being seen in the New York store frequently. This led to him producing a short film called ‘Bottega Veneta Industrial Videotape’.
When the 90s came around, it had become even clearer that a big change was needed. ‘Logomania’ was on the rise and fashion as a whole was louder and more fun. What you wore needed to make some sort of statement and, despite some interesting designs, Bottega’s understated aesthetic just didn’t fit anymore.
The fashion house would begin to lose money and, possibly more worryingly, lose influence.
In 1995, things would change again when fashion designer, Edward Buchanan joined the brand as design director. With a fresh vision, he would create Bottega Veneta’s first ready-to-wear clothing collection, inspired by trends from the time – pretty impressive for someone in their 20s and fresh out of fashion school.
Laura Moltedo took a chance on Buchanan and his contribution to the quiet luxury but accessible image Bottega established over that period shouldn’t be overlooked. In October 1998, he would lead the creative efforts behind the brand’s first fashion show at Palazzo Serbelloni in Milan.
Buchanan has since become a massive voice in the world of fashion and can look back at his first creative role with pride but, back then, he had his frustrations with the brand. Like so many of us will relate to, he felt sidelined and overlooked so, he left Bottega Veneta in 2001.
Giles Deacon took over from Edward just before another major shake up with Bottega Veneta being acquired by the Gucci Group (now Kering). This was done with the hopes of boosting its revenue.
Also in 2001, Thomas Maier joined as Bottega’s creative director. He wasn’t just a safe pair of hands, embracing the elegant design work that once put Bottega Veneta on the map, he was a knoweldgeble pair of hands too. His vision was clear and soon enough, the brand’s revenue had tripled, only being outdone by Saint Laurent’s income compared to the rest of the Kering group.
Maier would bring back the brand’s Intrecciato weave, highlighting the leather work that the brand had pioneered. Fashion was changing, but going back to the basics after a decade of trying to fit what was trending seemed to work. The brand even opened Scuola della Pelletteria, a school to train future leather artisans, in 2006, ensuring its unique craftsmanship methods could be passed on.
2006 would also be the year the fashion house diversified a little with the launch of its jewellery and homeware line.
In June of 2018, Thomas Mair would resign from the fashion house and be succeeded by young and upcoming British designer, Daniel Lee.
After a few years with Celine, Maison Margiela, Donna Karan, and Balenciaga under his belt, Lee came in with lots of ideas to improve Bottega’s appeal to a younger consumer base. The early 2010s hadn’t been particularly successful for the brand and he was tasked with changing that.
‘The New Bottega’ was a smash hit, which is why we’re here today still talking about the brand (and offering some of its goodies in our draws).
Many of the viral products that a lot of us now love have come from this modern and fun era, with celebs like Rihanna, ASAP Rocky, Kendall Jenner, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Jacob Elordi all wearing Bottega pieces.
After leaving social media and fashion lovers obsessed, Lee would step away from the brand and Matthieu Blazy would take over. Since his debut collection, its clear that Blazy plans to stay fairly loyal to the refined luxury with a modern twist that Bottege Veneta is known for now. We will have to keep watching to see what happens next with this now classic brand.
With so many iconic pieces, from accessories like handbags and sunglasses to clothes that can work for a whole host of styles, it can be hard to pick out the right Bottega items for you. This is why we’ve put together a list of our absolute faves down below.
For Bottega lovers, the Mini Jodie is a must-have. It incorporates that familiar but beautiful woven leatherwork with a slouchy rounded shape that’s bang on trend right now. We love the top handle design and wearable colour selection – it’s just effortlessly cool.
This bag is styled in a way that anyone can enjoy but, if the smaller size isn’t your thing, there is the regular sized Jodie too. The Jodie was introduced in the Fall/Winter 2020 collection and is actually named after actress and fan of the brand, Jodie Foster so, whatever size you pick, you’re getting a bit of fashion history here.
Yes, you can get the famous intrecciato design in shoe form too with a pair of Lidos. Originally part of Daniel Lee’s first collection in 2019, this simple but chic design became an instant classic, being seen on the feet of celebs like Katie Holmes and Rihanna.
You can get Lido mules or Lido sandals so whether you’re looking for the perfect pair of summer flats or a heel to elevate your holiday fit, Bottega has you covered.
Another highlight from Lee’s first collection, Bottega has taken the classic shoulder bag and added its signature woven design here. The Cassette bag has a padded finish with gold hardware, giving it contemporary but high-end look, plus you can fit all your essentials in it, no problem.
We love this bag for date nights and girls’ night and, with the selection of colours, it can go with any outfit. If it’s good enough for Victoria Beckam then it has to be in our wardrobes.
A very new offering but we couldn’t resist including it in our list. These Bottega cat eye sunglasses combine classic and contemporary styles to create a gorgeous design that anyone would feel confident wearing.
Even better? The frames and lenses are partially made with bio-based content so you can feel fashionable and environmentally conscious.
The Bottega Veneta Andiamo range offers a selection of bags and purse styles, perfect for the indecisive. We have to highlight the regular Andiamo bag, which has a stunning look with lots of interior space.
You can wear it in multiple ways thanks to the two-strap design and the managnetic closure makes it super easy to get what you need from inside. We’re obsessed!
An underrated gem, this Bottega perfume smells heavenly and comes in possibly the most beautiful packaging we’ve ever seen. Its warm and spicy but is wearable all year round so, what’s not to love?
Top notes: Winter Lemon oil, Cardamom oil & Cinnamon oil
Heart notes: Geranium oil, Jasmine “cœur de saison” absolute & Orange Flower absolute
Base notes: Patchouli oil, Vetiver oil & Vanilla Bourbon extract
If you’re looking to add a touch of luxury to your wardrobe with a quality designer bag, Your Dream Bag may be just what you’re looking for. You can currently win the iconic Bottega Veneta Mini Jodie, as mentioned above.
With our handpicked selection of designer handbags, accessories, luxury home goods, and easy-to-enter competitions, getting your hands on your next fashion fave is just a few clicks away.
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