Bottega Veneta is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its iconic Intrecciato leather weave with a new campaign titled "Craft is our Language".
Photographed by Jack Davison and choreographed by Lenio Kaklea, the campaign highlights Bottega Veneta's dedication to handcraft and creativity, emphasizing hand gestures as a universal form of communication.
"Craft is our Language" views Intrecciato as more than just a technique; it's a metaphor for interconnectedness, exchange, and the collaborative spirit that has defined Bottega Veneta since its founding by artisans in 1966.
The campaign features Bottega Veneta artisans alongside an impressive roster of talents from various fields, including art, film, fashion, literature, music, and sports.
Among the celebrated figures in the campaign is tennis star Lorenzo Musetti. He joins a distinguished group that includes singer-songwriter Jack Antonoff, director Dario Argento, designer Edward Buchanan, and actresses Lauren Hutton and Julianne Moore.
The campaign, presented through still images and films, creates a dialogue between makers and wearers, artists and artisans, and hand and mind. It also honors the shared roots of "artist" and "artisan," both stemming from the Latin word "ars," meaning "art, skill, craft".
First introduced in 1975, Intrecciato is a testament to deep artisanal knowledge and artistic imagination, serving as a hallmark of the house's founding principles. The intricate process involves hand-weaving slender leather strips, known as fettucce, into a leather base or around a wooden mold, showcasing Italian weaving traditions and the leatherworking expertise of Bottega Veneta's native Veneto region. This fluid craft is continuously evolving while adapting to the wearer, and though it never needs reinvention, it can always be reimagined in various forms. The distinct quality and expressiveness of Intrecciato define Bottega Veneta's no-logo philosophy.
"Craft is our Language" also pays homage to Bottega Veneta's Italian heritage and celebrates Italian creatives. The campaign's aesthetic draws inspiration from Milanese artist and designer Bruno Munari's 1963 handbook of Italian gestures, Supplemento al Dizionario Italiano.
A companion book for "Craft is our Language" is set to be released in September, featuring a second installment of images and films with additional talents.
The book will document 50 gestures, forming a "dictionary" of Bottega Veneta's language, craft, and values.
