Bottega Veneta's 1978 Warhol advert, 'When your own initials are enough': the Vicenza founders, the intrecciato fix, Laura Moltedo's Factory years
Bottega Veneta (@bottegaveneta) took the 20:00 slot in Milan on 26 September. In December 1978 the house ran a two-page advert by Andy Warhol that read: when your own initials are enough.
Founded in Vicenza in 1966 by Michele Taddei and Renzo Zengiaro, its signature is intrecciato, Italian for braided: strips of leather woven through slits in another piece of leather, a fix for machines that could not sew thick leather.
Laura Moltedo, Taddei's former wife and a Factory regular, took control in the late 1970s and brought Warhol in. Gucci (@gucci) bought the house in 2001 and made Tomas Maier creative director until 2018. Louise Trotter was named creative director in December 2024, succeeding Matthieu Blazy (@matthieu.blazy), who left for Chanel (@chanelofficial).
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The post, as it ran
01BOTTEGA VENETA TOOK THE 20:00 SLOT IN MILAN ON 26 SEPTEMBER. IN DECEMBER 1978 IT RAN A WARHOL ADVERT THAT READ: WHEN YOUR OWN INITIALS ARE ENOUGH.
02THE HOUSE WAS FOUNDED IN VICENZA IN 1966 BY MICHELE TADDEI AND RENZO ZENGIARO.
03ITS SIGNATURE IS INTRECCIATO, ITALIAN FOR BRAIDED: STRIPS OF LEATHER WOVEN THROUGH SLITS IN ANOTHER PIECE OF LEATHER.
04THE WEAVE BEGAN AS A FIX. THE WORKSHOP'S MACHINES COULD NOT SEW THICK LEATHER, SO THIN STRIPS WERE WOVEN TO MAKE THE BAGS STRONG.
05LAURA MOLTEDO, TADDEI'S FORMER WIFE, TOOK CONTROL OF THE HOUSE IN THE LATE 1970S. SHE HAD WORKED AT WARHOL'S FACTORY.
06SHE BROUGHT WARHOL IN. THE ADVERT RAN IN HIS OWN INTERVIEW MAGAZINE, WITH NO LOGO IN IT.
07GUCCI BOUGHT THE HOUSE IN 2001 AND MADE TOMAS MAIER CREATIVE DIRECTOR. HE STAYED UNTIL 2018.
08LOUISE TROTTER WAS NAMED CREATIVE DIRECTOR IN DECEMBER 2024, SUCCEEDING MATTHIEU BLAZY, WHO LEFT FOR CHANEL.