The Blue Bottega
Fun fact: Vintage Bottega Veneta Intrecciato Crossbody bag.
Intrecciato quite literally means braided and is a technique of weaving strips of leather. This has technique has become what has set Bottega apart from its competitors since the 1970's.
Did you know that Bottega Veneta's larger success actually began in the US, where they opened their first store?
Background
This bag belonged to a client who snuck into her mothers cupboard and stole a bag her mother cherished and could never part ways with. The client believed it was the first designer bag her father had given her mother, and although there were many after, this one held special significance. The bag bore multiple issues accumulated over years of use and exposure to the sun and other elements.
Process
I started with cleaning and de-greasing the bag and the strap before colour matching to the tone inside the lining. The bag needed some leather conditioning to give it some life and a little bit of glueing here and there on tears. Painting the bag required patience and focus to ensure the intrecciato (braided) leather did not stick to each other from paint, and each individual strip was done individually. The finish of the paint had a slight gloss that we reduced with a matting agent according to the clients preference.
Impact
The owner of the bag was overwhelmed by the transformation, as was her mother. So much so, that she was brought to tears! It feels wonderful to be able to give this bag a new life, and to know the client's mother is wearing this bag again, after a decade.
