What's in a Weave?

By Betsy Kroll

Whereas most European luxury leather-goods brands rely on a prominently placed logo to indicate their products' provenance, Bottega Veneta has made its most coveted leather-crafting technique into its signature. Known as intrecciato--Italian for woven--the technique has been employed by Bottega Veneta since the company was founded by Michele Taddei and Renzo Zengiaro in the Veneto region of Italy in 1966. Originally thought of as a way to make the brand's thin, supple leather more durable, intrecciato has become a style statement in the hands of Bottega Veneta creative director Tomas Maier. And style icons like Oprah Winfrey and Katie Holmes have followed suit, snapping up the coveted intrecciato Cabat tote (a bag that takes two craftsmen two days to complete). When the ranks of artisans capable of handweaving intrecciato pieces began to dwindle, the house opened a free school, Scuola della Pelletteria Bottega Veneta, to train future employees. From perfectly blended stripes on a handbag to shoes, bomber jackets and even a floor lamp seamlessly encased in leather, intrecciato shows up in every category of the Bottega Veneta brand. Even the house's 18 karat-gold fine jewelry is painstakingly woven by hand.

1 Large multicolor Cabat ($6,100) from Bottega Veneta's women's resort 2007 collection

2 A runway look ($9,450) with ebano intrecciato jacket from Bottega Veneta's men's fall 2007 collection

3 Nicole Kidman with a Bottega Veneta Knot clutch at the 2007 Academy Awards in Los Angeles

4 Vintage Bottega Veneta sunglasses with intrecciato pattern

5 Sarah Jessica Parker carrying a vintage pink Umbria tote with intrecciato detail

6 Ashley Olsen arrives at an auction carrying an orange intrecciato clutch

7 Katie Holmes, with husband Tom Cruise, carries a Cabat on her way to dinner in Madrid

8 Bottega Veneta ebano intrecciato men's calf boot ($780)

9 Renee Zellweger attends a movie screening carrying Bottega Veneta's large Veneta handbag