A tribute to the artisans and cities that shaped the house.
Bottega Veneta’s ongoing commitment to craft has taken on a new resonance with the launch of Bottega for Bottegas 2025. What began in 2021 as a gesture of support for independent artisans has become an annual moment in the house’s calendar, a quiet but intentional showcase of the studios and workshops that share its values. This year’s edition turns toward three cities that have been central to Bottega Veneta’s own story, weaving together Venice, New York and Milan through a trio of handcrafted objects.
The selection is modest in scale but rich in meaning. Two silverplate glasses from Ganci Argenterie in Milan reflect the precision and patience of one of the city’s oldest silversmithing workshops. Sterling silver cocktail sticks by New York based designer Heath Wagoner introduce a playful knot motif, linking the ceremonial ease of the aperitivo hour to Bottega’s own longstanding visual language. A handbound notebook by Venetian master Paolo Olbi completes the collection, imagined as a place for drink recipes or quiet reflections at the end of the day. Seen together, the pieces form a small constellation of craft that feels unmistakably Bottega.
Founded in Vicenza in 1966, Bottega Veneta has always drawn heavily from the artisanal traditions of Venice. Its motifs, its materials and even its early fragrance bottles owe something to the city’s layered history of exchange and craftsmanship. At the same time, Bottega Veneta’s identity was shaped just as clearly by its openness to the world. In 1972, the house opened its first store not in Italy but on Madison Avenue, embedding itself in New York’s creative culture at a time when the city was growing as a global stage for art and style. The move to Milan in the late nineties marked another shift, establishing a base that still houses the brand’s headquarters and plays host to its shows.
This year’s Bottega for Bottegas brings these threads together in a small but thoughtful gesture. Ganci Argenterie’s contribution draws on nearly a century of Milanese silversmithing, where techniques like hand finished casting and meticulous engraving continue to define the workshop. In Venice, Olbi’s notebook represents a lifetime devoted to the craft of bookbinding. His practice spans traditional apprenticeships and experimental combinations with marble, ceramics and Murano glass, all shaped by a vocabulary of Venetian, Byzantine and Islamic patterns. Wagoner’s cocktail sticks reflect a newer chapter in the story, pairing New York’s design sensibility with the refinement of jewellery making. Even his marine references carry a personal note, shaped by his upbringing as a fisherman’s son.
Bottega for Bottegas 2025 is a reminder of the places that shaped the house and a recognition of the artisans who continue to sustain the spirit of making. In its scale, the project feels entirely aligned with the values of technique and luxury that define Bottega Veneta today.
PHOTO CREDIT: Bottega Veneta.
