Bottega Veneta’s creative epitomises ‘quiet luxe’

The increased popularity of Bottega Veneta is down to a ‘less is more’ creative strategy. Kat Thomas, founder and global chief creative officer, One Green Bean, explores what brands can learn.

Bottega Veneta is the ‘bright spot in the Kering portfolio’ according to Vogue Business, with its sales accelerating to a 15% increase in the last quarter alone. Impressive stuff. So why is the brand doing so well in a complex environment where economic uncertainty, shifting consumer behaviours and sustainability concerns are still swirling around?

It upholds true luxury in a world where it’s being watered down

Luxury has been co-opted. High-end fashion brands sell cheaply made logo tees and sneakers to appeal to the masses, supermarkets label products ‘luxurious’ and more.

Bottega Veneta, meaning ‘Venetian workshop’ stays true to its heritage of Italian craftsmanship. Built on understated, intrecciato-woven leather goods, the brand has been doubling down on ready-to-wear since 2018 as a growth play. Its approach to clothing maintains its signature minimalist, logoless aesthetic.

This corresponds with people pushing back on ‘logomania’ and the subsequent rise of ‘stealth wealth’ and ‘quiet luxe’.

Its comms are consistent with the house codes

As CEO Leo Rongone said, the brand wants to ensure its communications are consistent with a brand whose founding motto is “When your initials are enough.”

Bottega Veneta applies the same commitment to craftsmanship to its communications, from beautifully designed free in-store fan-zines, to smart collaborations with Hollywood A-listers (Michelle Yeoh, Julianne Moore, Jacob Elordi) and top design firms (Gaetano Pesce’s studio, Cassina, Zanotta), reinforcing its blend of Italian heritage and innovation.

A brand as discreet as its products

Bottega Veneta made headlines by leaving social media in 2021, but its presence remains meticulously curated. They work closely with influencers to make sure they show up in the right feeds and even fuel fan accounts like @NewBottega which has 1.5M followers.

This is a great quote from Rongone that sums it up brilliantly: “The fact of being non-conformist - not having a logo, doing denim that is made out of leather - is consistent with using social media in a different way. The intention wasn’t to be ‘out’ of social media or to be ‘in’ social media,” he said. “We discovered that when you get out of [social media], you start moving from a one-to-many relationship to many-to-many. Everybody can say whatever on social media about Bottega, and we are happy about this.”

One of the brand’s biggest benefits is that, unlike many of its peers, it’s not linked to a founder. There’s no name or namesake to align with or individual voice to amplify, which gives unique freedom to the brand and comms specialists behind the scenes. And these are clearly people who truly understand and respect the power of earned media. They rely heavily on word of mouth whilst ensuring the products show up in the right places, in the hands of the right people, in exactly the right way.