Knot Another Bag

For its 50th anniversary, Bottega Veneta launched a 30-piece collection of bags, including updated archival favourites and new limited-edition models. JACQUIE ANG also charts the Knot’s evolution from hero piece to your new hardworking classic.

- Jacquie Ang

IT WAS HARDLY a surprise that Bottega Veneta marked its 50th anniversary last year with dignified restraint instead of the riotous fanfare such a significant milestone usually commands.

But neither was the occasion allowed to pass quietly into the night. Last September, the formidable purveyor of stealth wealth staged a momentous show that for the first time merged men’s and women’s Spring/Summer 2017 collections. For the first time too, it showed at the historical Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera in Milan. Along with the 76 looks was a 30-strong special collection of bags. “The true celebration in this 50th anniversary year is of the Bottega Veneta Atelier,” creative director Tomas Maier pointed out. “All the bags of this collection showcase the extraordinary skills of our artisans.”

These include a re-edition of the famous red clutch carried by Lauren Hutton in the movie American Gigolo. The Lauren 1980, christened in honour of the model-actress and the year of the seminal film, mirrors the design and material of the original but now comes exclusively in Gigolo Red, and a tag inside engraved with “The Lauren 1980”.