In an unprecedented showing of the craftwork behind one of fashion’s most beloved houses, Bottega Veneta has invited the world into their studio in short film, Craft in Motion. The film, directed by Massimiliano Bomba, is a walkthrough of the laborious processes that are used in the creation of a singular Bottega bag, including the Cabat, Kalimero, and Sardine styles. Set in the brand’s atelier, the film flips back and forth between exterior and interior shots, showing off the magnificent and charming 19th-century Italian villa where the bags are crafted.

Narrated by senior artisan, Ruggero Negretto, the film gives context to the precise level of craft that goes into the creation of a handbag — it is emphasized that artisans measure the amount of time it takes to create a product by counting the days rather than hours. This is especially pertinent in regards to intrecciato, the brand’s signature woven leather that Creative Director Mathieu Blazy has used as a blank canvas on which to experiment off of. 

“I think luxury is something you feel rather than see; it is much more personal and emotive for the person wearing the clothing than for those looking at them,” explains Blazy. “I want the wearer to be empowered without the clothing being loud. It is style over fashion in its timelessness. Craft is not a ‘trend’. Neither is it something that has to be improved. It is a timeless technology. The irregularities of handwork make each Bottega Veneta design unique. This for me is true luxury.”

To Blazy’s point; the recent conversation around quiet luxury is one that is commonly misunderstood on the internet. Quiet luxury does not necessitate a minimal wardrobe that strives to be understated; it is rather the way that your wardrobe and accessories make you feel as you wear them, the way that an object is crafted with love before it goes out into the world. 

This idea of carefully crafted and likewise, experimentally-prompted designs, is something that Blazy has mastered in his tenure at the Italian fashion house. Craft in Motion is a visual showcase of this sensibility; crafted with the same attention to details as the handbags themselves.