In a time of hyper-industrialization and throw-away fast fashion, the legacy of handmade luxury goods and the passing down of knowledge through specialized techniques are all the more important to be considered and encouraged, rather than just worn or bought to resell.
Established in 1966, Bottega Veneta has undergone a major revival in just a few years. Five years ago, the Italian luxury house won not only the coveted Designer of the Year award, but swept every single award it had been nominated for during the 2019 British Fashion Awards.
The brand value of Bottega Veneta began to skyrocket. Numerous journals, editors, and influencers alike could finally agree on the new It Bag. Come 2020, Bottega Veneta was a fashion household name and remained on everyone’s lips, thanks to a string of rebranding hits: ridding itself of all social media, launching its own digital magazine, bringing back the delight of exclusive show invites (and sure, we would be remiss not to at least mention a close-to-home Miss, when Berlin’s Berghain hosted the Bottega runway show on the day the German capital’s Corona numbers were at their record high.)
Successful branding tactics aside, Bottega Veneta is now looking to its past to align and come to terms with a rapidly changing future by announcing that this season, the house will be opening up its own academy: Accademia Labor et Ingenium (Latin for “Academy of Craft and Creativity”), the words are also emblazoned on the company’s crest. Based between the line’s atelier and manufacturing site in northern Italy, five Bottega Veneta master artisans will train 50 students each year, and are guaranteed employment within the House after course completion.
After so much attention has been pointed to solidify Bottega’s placement within current and new generations, it’s reaffirming to the core values of the House that its next venture is a nod of respect to its founding purpose: to offer the highest degree of artisanal craftsmanship, and support a nearing-bygone industry of artists, tailors, and textile visionaries.
While Bottega Veneta may not be the first luxury label to establish their own fashion academy in Italy (see: Prada, Fendi, Brunello Cucinelli), they are the first to open a school dedicated primarily to its own unique craftsmanship (Bottega developed a distinct leather weaving technique, named the Intrecciato), pointedly placing the ‘Luxury Marketing’ tactics in the backseat for its creatives- leave that to the teams in Milan! Especially now in a time of hyper-industrialization and throw-away fast fashion, the legacy of handmade luxury goods, the knowledge and reasoning behind couture garments, and the passing down of specialized methods & techniques of fine creation are all the more important to be cared for and encouraged, rather than just worn or bought to resell. When the last generation of artisans dies out, who will be there to inspire our own dreams?
The first installment of studies has already begun, entitled “The Creative Craft Process: A Course in Bag Design and Production,” led by Bottega Veneta’s master craftsman Ruggero Negretto, hosting eight special students from the university network Iuav in Venice. Three more selection processes will occur for upcoming workshops and studies in 2024, and applications are already open. Want to learn to make your very own It Bag? Apply here!
*All images courtesy of Bottega Veneta
