If you currently find yourself immersed in the throngs of pre-Christmas present panic buying, fear not as Bottega Veneta has the treasures and trinkets to soothe that festive fever. With a nod to nostalgia and a harkening back to the brand’s handmade heritage, Bottega Veneta returns to its true Bottega roots this Christmas by partnering with a number of Italy’s finest craftsmen and artisans for its Bottega for Bottegas initiative.
The legacy rich fashion house has seen its fair share of forward-thinking transitions this year particularly following the departure of Daniel Lee as creative director. Therefore the announcement of the Bottega for Bottegas campaign is a warming and welcome look backwards on the genesis of the brand’s reputation for curating distinguished craftsmanship and authentic Italian artistry.
Bottega has invited a number of participating Italian brands from across numerous industries to utilise their massive platform in a landmark move that aims to promote trickle-down growth and cooperation between industry giants and developing businesses. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this decision is that the collections are not confined by the categories of fashion, instead Bottega welcome in quintessentially Italian brands from the realms of cuisine, ceramics, book-binding, biscuit making, instrumentation and distillation.
Joining the reputable repertoire or collaborating creatives are Italian brands from the worlds of food like handmade pasta company Bottega Pastificio Martelli, Ligurian winemaker Cantina Bisson, artisanal Gin manufacturer Gin Ginepraio, olive oil experts Olio Vanini, rice harvester Riso Pozzi and chocolatier Gay-Odin. Elsewhere from the bespoke gifts universe, ceramics masters Orsoni and Enza Fasano and soap purveyors Saponificio Varesino join the wholesomely constructed line-up of quintessentially Italian brands. Lastly, daring drum-maker Bottega Respighi and eco-conscious paper-maker Bottega Amatruda, who together have over 850 years of lineage, will also be joining the showcase.
The Bottega for Bottegas campaign is truly a break from the traditional inertia that too often sees big businesses pitted against smaller independent artisans and instead invites creatives who have mastered their craft to showcase their work to a global audience. Whilst the concept is certainly original, it fits into a larger industry trend that has seen numerous brands relinquish control of the exclusivity of their platforms to give little known creatives or celebrities a centre stage, thus uniting their audiences whilst appearing philanthropic and nonchalant about their typically groomed and carefully curated showrooms and social media accounts.
Whether it be Calvin Klein giving the keys to its Instagram accounts to creatives like Hoyeon Jong, Symone and Jennie or the decision of brands like Nike to give creative control of product launches to aspiring directors during the Nike x Patta The Wave series, more and more brands are finding the value in centring campaigns around authentic artists without needing massive name recognition or celebrity endorsements.
It’s amazing to see such a large brand as Bottega Venetta proudly push and protect the exploits of their fellow Italian creatives, particularly with so many of the typical avenues for independent retail and arts companies still shut off due to the pandemic. Much like many other aspects of their business, we hope Bottega is able to spearhead and trailblaze a path for other world-renowned labels to follow in their wake.
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