Bottega Veneta today unveils Craft is our Language, a new campaign commemorating the 50th anniversary of the house’s signature leather weave, Intrecciato. Photographed by Jack Davison and choreographed by Lenio Kaklea, the campaign honours Bottega Veneta’s dedication to craftsmanship and creativity, while also celebrating the universal beauty of hand gestures as a language of their own.

‘Craft is our Language’ considers Intrecciato not only as a way of making, but also as a metaphor. In the weaving together of leather strips, the house’s signature craft is a symbol of interconnectedness, exchange, and the collaborative ethos that has been at the heart of Bottega Veneta ever since it was founded by a collective of artisans in 1966. True to this spirit, ‘Craft is our Language’ captures hand gestures that represent Intrecciato alongside universal hand gestures that connect people across generations, cultures, backgrounds, and contexts.

Through still images and film, the campaign showcases Bottega Veneta artisans alongside exceptional figures from art, film, fashion, literature, music, and sports. Featured participants include singer-songwriter and producer Jack Antonoff, director Dario Argento, designer Edward Buchanan, artist and sculptor Barbara Chase-Riboud, singer-songwriter Neneh Cherry, filmmaker and creative Dave Free, model and actor Lauren Hutton, singer I.N, actors Troy Kotsur, Vicky Krieps, Terrance Lau, Rie Miyazawa, and Julianne Moore, tennis player Lorenzo Musetti, actress Shu Qi, writer Zadie Smith, singer-actor Thanaerng, recording artist and producer Tyler Okonma, and conductor Lorenzo Viotti.

Demanding hours, sometimes days, of artisanal patience and skill, the practice involves hand weaving slender leather strips, called fettucce, into a leather base panel, or around a wooden mold. The method draws on a long Italian tradition of weaving and the leatherworking expertise of Bottega Veneta’s native Veneto region, while being distinguished by an innovative diagonal arrangement, meticulous proportions, and the exceptional quality of Bottega Veneta leather. 

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