Bottega Veneta

Bottega Veneta was founded in 1966 in Vicenza, Italy by Michele Taddei and Renzo Zengiaro, originally as a high-end leather goods workshop specialising in a distinctive woven leather technique called intrecciato — born of necessity (the local sewing machines couldn't handle thick hides, so leather was cut into thin strips and woven by hand). The brand's tagline for decades — 'When your own initials are enough' — captured a quiet anti-logo philosophy. Tomas Maier's tenure as creative director (2001-2018) defined the brand's modern era as a master class in quiet luxury — the Cabat tote, the Knot clutch, an autumnal colour palette, and an unspoken understanding that the woven Nappa speaks for itself. Daniel Lee's brief but transformative tenure (2018-2021) introduced the Pouch bag, the chunky-soled Lido sandal, and the BV green that became viral on Instagram in 2020. Matthieu Blazy took over in 2021 and produced four years of widely admired collections built around couture-level Italian craft and a calmer reading of intrecciato; he departed for Chanel in early 2025, succeeded by Louise Trotter. Bottega Veneta is owned by Kering. The Vicenza atelier remains the centre of all leather production, and the artisan training school (Accademia Labor et Ingenium) founded in 2006 ensures the intrecciato technique transmits to a new generation. Few houses balance heritage craft against contemporary cultural relevance so consistently.