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A History of Bottega Veneta Bags
The visual language of the best Bottega Veneta handbags—and of the label as a whole—is mainly shaped by what goes unsaid. That is, there’s a less-is-more approach, and you won’t find a brand logo on a single item. Instead, you’ll see an identifiable signature, the intrecciato woven leather treatment, which, since we’re on the subject of languages, translates to intertwined in Italian. Furthermore, Bottega Veneta means Venetian shop, which brings us right to the beginning….
A Closer Look at Bottega’s Handbags:
Bottega Veneta was founded in 1966 in Vicenza, Italy, by Michele Taddei and Renzo Zengiaro. The basket-weave technique so famous today was really just a workaround to a technical problem: At the start, the leather-goods company didn’t have sewing machines capable of accommodating thicker swathes of leather, so thin leather was used—but in order to make Bottega bags more durable, the leather was woven at the diagonal. It didn’t take long for the label to go global. By the 1970s, a Bottega Veneta shop had opened up in Manhattan, luring the likes of Andy Warhol, who, in a lesser-known photo, can be seen kissing a Bottega loafer. (In 1985, the Pop artist would also make a short film for the Italian label.) It was also embraced in popular culture: Lauren Hutton memorably carried a brown Bottega clutch in 1980’s American Gigolo—a moment that the label paid homage to in 2017 by reviving the bag and bringing Hutton out onto the runway.
Around that time, “When your own initials are enough” became Bottega Veneta’s slogan, hinting at the luxury brand’s if you know, you know ethos. (This was not a place for monogram canvas fabrications and logomania.) And because it wouldn’t be an Italian heritage label if there weren’t a bit of family drama: In the 1970s, co-founder Zengiaro gave the company to his ex-wife, Laura Braggion, who took the reins alongside her second husband, Vittorio Moltedo. All this went on until 2001, when the Gucci Group (now a subsidiary of Kering) bought up the company and appointed German designer Tomas Maier as creative director. In 2005 came the label’s first ready-to-wear collection, with fragrances, jewelry, sunglasses, home decor, and more categories following soon after. But in lieu of a flamboyant, la dolce vita–style lifestyle brand, Bottega only whispered of luxury. (After a 2006 runway show, Vogue described Maier’s aesthetic as “stealth wealth.”) Maier revived the Knot Box clutch from 1978, introduced the Cabat tote bag, and played a significant hand in reaffirming Bottega’s dominance in the global fashion game after a quiet period in the ’90s.
In June 2018, Daniel Lee took over the creative directorship of Bottega Veneta and transformed the label into one that churned out It bag after It bag—all without the use of a single logo. Early in his tenure, Lee gave the world the Cassette and the Jodie bag, and the fashion set still hasn't gotten over either. In the fall of 2021, Lee departed and was succeeded by French-Belgian designer Matthieu Blazy, who ushered in a new era of quietly ingenious luxury. His debut collection introduced future icons like the Sardine and Kalimero, while his Andiamo quickly became one of the defining handbags of the decade.
In late 2024, Blazy departed for Chanel, closing one of fashion's most celebrated recent chapters. The following year, British designer Louise Trotter took the helm at Bottega Veneta, ushering in a new era for the Italian house—one that continues to honor the brand’s devotion to exceptional craftsmanship, discreet luxury, and the enduring appeal of intrecciato. Through changing creative visions and shifting fashion moods, Bottega's bags remain instantly recognizable not because they shout, but because they whisper.
Read on for a history of the most recognizable and best Bottega Veneta handbags.
The Giorno
Louise Trotter wasted little time introducing her own handbag vocabulary at Bottega Veneta. Debuting in her spring/summer 2026 collection (the British designer’s first for the house) the Giorno transforms one of fashion’s most familiar objects—the humble dust bag—into an object of desire. Crafted in supple Intrecciato leather, its softly slouching silhouette is defined by a fold-over flap, drawstring sides, and a removable shoulder strap that allows it to be carried tucked under the arm as a clutch or slung effortlessly over the shoulder. Equal parts relaxed and refined, the Giorno proves that the most luxurious bags are often the ones that look as though they’ve always belonged in your everyday rotation.
The Veneta
The best archives are the ones worth revisiting. First introduced in 2002 under Tomas Maier, the Veneta became one of Bottega Veneta’s defining handbags—a softly slouching hobo whose signature Intrecciato weave spoke louder than any logo ever could. More than two decades later, the house has reintroduced the icon, reimagining it in supple padded nappa leather that lends new dimension and tactility to the woven construction while preserving its seamless, hardware-free silhouette. The result feels both familiar and fresh: proof that great design doesn’t need reinventing, only reinterpreting.
The Barbara
Among the standout accessories of Louise Trotter’s debut collection for Bottega Veneta was the Barbara, a tote that balances strong architecture with the house’s famously supple craftsmanship. Handwoven in soft Intrecciato nappa leather, its geometric silhouette is softened by gently collapsing sides, while sleek tubular handles and a discreet top zip lend an understated polish. Inside, a leather-covered mirror serves as a thoughtful finishing touch—a quiet reminder that Bottega’s luxury has always been found in the details. Spacious enough for everyday life yet refined enough for evening, the Barbara is poised to become the house’s next great carryall.
The Campana
Softness has long been one of Bottega Veneta’s greatest strengths. First introduced in 2004 under Tomas Maier, the Campana quickly became a favorite for its gently rounded silhouette and understated elegance. Reissued for fall/winter 2025, the bag returns with a lighter, more streamlined construction that strips away hardware while preserving its signature Intrecciato weave and effortless shape. Defined by twin top handles and a curved opening that nestles comfortably beneath the arm, the Campana is proof that quiet luxury never really goes out of fashion.
The Madison
Few streets are as synonymous with luxury as Madison Avenue, where Bottega Veneta opened its first boutique outside of Italy in 1972. Louise Trotter pays tribute to that milestone with the Madison, a polished shoulder bag that debuted in her spring/summer 2026 collection. Crafted in supple lambskin and later reimagined in the house’s signature Intrecciato weave, the Madison pairs a jewelry-like knot closure with a sliding chain strap that shifts effortlessly from shoulder bag to crossbody. Its softly sculptural flap is designed to mold to its wearer over time, lending each bag a character all its own. Consider it a love letter to New York—and to the understated elegance that has long defined Bottega Veneta.
The Andiamo
Along with all the supremely luxurious yet understated luxuries that walked the Bottega Veneta’s spring/summer 2023 show was a new bag. It was a somewhat structured but not boxy (its corners are rounded) calf leather intrecciato accessory that featured brass hardware sculpted into a bow-like knot. The effect is a not-your-grandmother’s ladylike handbag and it’s been dubbed the Andiamo. Italian for “let’s go,” Bottega is here to tell us that the Andiamo is for the wearer who is going places. Introduced in 2023, it quickly became one of the most coveted bags of the decade—and remains a cornerstone of the house today.
The Parachute
Given its vast oeuvre of perfect purses, one of Bottega Veneta’s most enduring styles is the Parachute tote, a re-release of a beloved style that is crafted from handwoven Intrecciato leather. Named after its ample, roomy body, the Parachute bag has been updated with Bottega's colors du jour and also with the addition of the house’s distinctive metallic knot detail, which you might recognize from the Andiamo bag. The bag comes in multiple sizes, with its smaller style equipped with a detachable shoulder strap, which can be added for hands-free, crossbody styling.
The Lauren 1980
This is one Bottega bag with a bit of Hollywood history. In the cult-classic film American Gigolo, starring Lauren Hutton and Richard Gere from 1980, Hutton is seen on screen in a slick trench coat. Beneath her arm, a red leather woven bag is tucked. It was indeed a Bottega bag and the on-screen cameo was paid homage to at the Italian label’s spring/summer 2017 show when Hutton herself walked the runway with the bag. Relaunched in spring 2017, the bag sold out quickly and inspired Blazy years later to re-relaunch the bag in even more colorways and skins. The most recent iteration of the bag is re-colored in Fresh Mint (pale green) and String (soft beige) hues, and the offerings of The Lauren 1980 also go beyond its original pouch construction with chain straps and top handles. Today, the Lauren 1980 exists in a growing family of silhouettes, proving that Hollywood glamour never really goes out of style.
The Sardine
Curved like The Jodie bag but featuring a rod handle in the shape of a gilt, yes, sardine fish, the Sardine bag is crafted with a woven lambskin body. It first debuted on the Bottega Veneta fall/winter 2022 runway, which marked Matthieu Blazy's debut collection for the house. For the occasion, Blazy sent out a collection of handbags that would all go on to mark the new Bottega era and nearly all of them have already become an It Bag. By the autumn of 2022, the bag wound up around the arms of Kendall Jenner and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley; it doubles up as a jewel, according to the brand. And lest you forget, the fish is, after all, quite Italian—there's no chicer summer island destination than Sardinia.
The Jodie
When the Jodie bag was born, it had no name; it was only after a shot of Jodie Foster shielding herself from flashbulbs with a large black Bottega bag that Bottega changed that. The bag, which arrived in stores in early 2020, as part of Bottega’s resort 2020 collection, shared many characteristics with Bottega’s classic Hobo bag, only Lee put a knot into the handle to make it his own. The Jodie comes in many sizes— maxi, standard, mini—but is always crafted in an intrecciato leather (except when it’s sheathed in cushy shearling) and made in Italy. The Jodie has been reimagined countless times, in everything from buttery neutrals to jewel tones and supple suede.
The Cassette
In Bottega Veneta’s pre-fall 2019 collection, a new bag was introduced. Called the Cassette after its rectangular shape, the crossbody featured an oversized weave, almost as though you were looking through a microscope at the maison’s classic intrecciato. A season later, at the fall/winter 2019 collection, models took the runway toting chubby, puffed-up versions of the bag: enter, the Padded Cassette. The fashion world fell hard for that irresistible bag, which Lee eventually remixed with a hulking gold chain strap and, more recently, an assortment of candy-colored leathers and suede fabrications. Today, it’s offered in de-puffed sleek black iterations.
The Cabat
This bag from the Maier era has maintained its allure ever since its debut in 2001. Named the Cabat, it was Maier’s first handbag for Bottega and it kept close to the codes of the house. The Cabat is a sumptuously simple squarish leather bag—woven leather and nothing else. There’s no lining, no zipper, no panels or seams, though there is a strip of leather at the base of the bag’s interior and a detachable pouchette for additional storage. More than two decades after its debut, the Cabat remains the purest expression of Bottega Veneta's philosophy: exquisite craftsmanship, quiet confidence, and luxury that speaks softly.
