'Vieni a Vedere'; Bottega Veneta x Gaetano Pesce

Last week I visited the ‘Vieni a Vedere’ (Come and see/ Venha e Veja) exhibition; the second collaboration between the designer and architect Gaetano Pesce and Bottega Veneta. 

During Milan Design Week, Bottega Veneta closed its Montenapoleone boutique for a week and transformed it into an immersive experience.

Their partnership started on the Spring/Summer 23 fashion show, when Creative Director Matthieu Blazy collaborated with him to design the series of 400 ‘Come Stai?’ chairs.

And now, over 10,000 people waited in line to find out what Bottega Veneta was presenting during the design world's largest annual fair.  

We walked through this cave and crossed the silhouette of a figure shooting a basket until we found 2 special edition (and individually numbered) handbags. We also got to try hand-painted chocolates from Peyrano Torino with the same shape as the bags. 

This one is “My Dear Mountains”, which resembles the facade Gaetano designed for the Aspen Art Museum in 2022. It represents 2 mountains and the sunrise behind it. The bag features the brand’s signature Intrecciato leather weaving technique and gradient shades of green. There are 15 exclusive pieces available for purchase. 

The 'My Dear Prairies’ bag is even more special, having only 3 for sale. The use of leather in 7 different shades of green and a crochet technique makes this bag look like grassy hills. 

The path itself already tells a story, being accessed inside a cave and guiding us to find these 2 designer pieces. The bags are set as rare and curious items that were discovered along the way; while the design idea wants to tell a story.. it is not just a simple bag with a traditional shape. It is the blend of Bottega’s craftsmanship and Pesce’s creativity that encourages new paths to innovative design. The mountain-shaped bags have nothing in common to many traditional-shaped bags we tend to see. 

As we know, Fashion brands are tapping the lifestyle and furniture market. But Bottega doesn't currently offer homeware besides the 'Come Stai' chairs... so why the move to close one of its store for a week to present something during Salone del Mobile? We are talking about a big business. The home design is a $643 billion market and the global sector of home and hospitality current represents $4.3 trillion (according to BOF)... And it is no news that luxury consumers want their home to be represented by the same brands they wear. Does this show the importance of expansion to the brand? Market share?

Bottega already offers diverse product categories, so the addition of homeware could be a natural move towards brand extension. What do you think? Or did they just wanted to call attention to limited edition bags during an important week?

xx BRENDA MARIE