For Fall-Winter 2011/2012, Bottega Veneta considers how the way an object is made affects its look, feel, and function. Remaking traditional men's wear items like the jacket, the smoking, and the sweater in uncommon ways, for example by mixing materials and methods of construction, allows for an exploration of their range and relevance. The result is a collection that is taut and urban, with an austere, streamlined sensibility.
The palette for fall is somber and moody, grounded in dark shades of espresso brown, tourmaline blue, stone, rust, and pyrite gray. Technicolor brights heighten the industrial effect—there is vivid sapphire, peridot, orange resina, and a fiery red called corniola. The silhouette is narrow and close to the body, with a natural shoulder and skinny, tapered pants. Jackets are lean and uninflected, some as lightweight and unlined as a shirt, others sharply tailored but without shoulder pads. A slim trench coat reinforces the efficient line of a narrow suit. Shirts are dark, narrow, with classic patterns cut up and reconfigured. A smoking, distilled to its essential parts, emerges in a form that can be stashed in a suitcase.
The suiting fabrics, all designed by Bottega Veneta, are produced from a specially finished wool that has a crisp, Old World feel. Subtle patterns woven into the fabrics are obscured, indistinct, woven dark-on-dark and then overprinted to create an effect that is more visual texture than visible pattern. Other mat women's jackets erials include washed and aged leathers, densely felted woolens, and soft knits that range from fine jersey shirts to chunky pullovers with irregularly placed stitch patterns. Knits are central to the collection, often used to subtly revise familiar conventions. There are tailored jackets with knit pieces, shirts that are part leather and part knit, and cardigans pulled over blazers.
In a collection characterized by clarity and restraint, the most noteworthy accessories offer versatility, utility, and low-key sophistication. Bags are soft, lightweight, and above all, functional. Shoes are classic in inspiration but remade in a way that blurs the boundaries between formal and informal. There is an ankle boot and a lace-up, both easily worn with jeans or a suit.
"We started thinking about the way we make things and what effect that has on the outcome," explains Creative Director Tomas Maier, "If you make a piece of clothing in a new way, what else can you achieve? The elements that comprise a man's wardrobe don't vary that much over time. So to evolve you have to reinvent what you already have."
Discretion, quality, and craftsmanship — Bottega Veneta has created a new standard of luxury since its founding in Vicenza in 1966. Steeped in the traditions of Italy's master leather craftsmen and long celebrated for its extraordinary leather goods, Bottega Veneta has recently emerged as one of the world's premier luxury brands. The company's famous motto, "When your own initials are enough," expresses a philosophy of individuality and confidence that now applies to a range of products including women's and men's ready-to-wear, fine jewelry, furniture, and more.
While Bottega Veneta continues to grow, the qualities that define it are unchanging: outstanding craftsmanship, innovative design, contemporary functionality, and the highest quality materials. Also constant is Bottega Veneta's commitment to its ateliers, where artisans of remarkable skill combine traditional mastery with breathtaking innovation. Indeed, there is an unusual and inspired collaboration between artisan and designer at the heart of Bottega Veneta's approach to luxury, symbolized by the house's signature intrecciato woven leather. In the summer of 2006, in recognition of the importance of artisanal craftsmanship and the fragility of this traditional way of life, Bottega Veneta opened a school to train and support future generations of leather artisans.
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, Spring-Summer 2002, to immediate critical acclaim. From the start, the house's sensibility was refined, sensuous, and intensely personal, designed for a customer who is sophisticated and self-assured. Gucci Group was acquired by PPR in July of 2004. In the years since, Bottega Veneta has introduced exciting additions to the collection, including fine jewelry, a new watch, furniture, and home accessories, while continuing to offer an exclusive and coveted assortment of ready-to-wear, handbags, shoes, small leather goods, eyewear, luggage, and gifts.
Distribution of Bottega Veneta products is global, encompassing Europe, Asia, North and South America, where wholesale distribution in select specialty and department stores is complemented by a growing number of Bottega Veneta-owned boutiques. These boutiques, designed by Tomas Maier and meticulously constructed to Bottega Veneta's exacting standards, allow the customer to shop in complete luxury, privacy, and comfort. They are, like the products they showcase, a reflection of Bottega Veneta's exceptional heritage and superlative quality.
Bottega Veneta:
Discretion, quality, craftsmanship - Bottega Veneta has created a new standard of luxury since its founding in Vicenza in 1966. Steeped in the traditions of Italy's master leather craftsmen and long celebrated for its extraordinary leather goods, Bottega Veneta has emerged as one of the world's premier luxury brands. The company's famous motto, "When your own initials are enough," expresses a philosophy of individuality and confidence that now applies to a range of products including women's and men's ready-to-wear, fashion and fine jewelry, eyewear, furniture, and more.
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