L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2023 www.italoamericano.org 16 L'Italo-Americano T hese days, fash- ion is all about the idea of "quiet luxury," and per- h a p s n o b r a n d speaks its language better than Bottega Veneta. In 1966, Michele Tad- dei and Renzo Zengiaro established Bottega Veneta in Vicenza (Veneto), with a primary focus on the cre- ation of high-end leather goods. Zengiaro, who had b e e n w o r k i n g i n l e a t h e r goods since the age of 14, p a r t n e r e d w i t h T a d d e i , a r e p r e s e n t a t i v e ' s s o n , t o establish their own leather g o o d s l a b o r a t o r y : t h e y named it Bottega Veneta, inspired by small neighbor- hood stores and their Venet- ian roots. The brand's rise to fame was largely due to its unique i n t r e c c i a t o w e a v e , a method that involves intri- cately weaving thin strips of leather to create beautiful a n d d u r a b l e i t e m s . T h i s technique quickly became Bottega Veneta's signature and was applied to a range of products, including hand- bags, wallets, and belts. I n t h e 1 9 7 0 s , B o t t e g a Veneta established itself as a brand of choice among the élite, who appreciated it for its understated elegance and timeless designs. But, for the v e r y s a m e r e a s o n s , t h e brand faced challenges in the 1990s, a period marked by the rising popularity of logo-centric fashion. This trajectory shifted signifi- c a n t l y a f t e r t h e G u c c i G r o u p ( n o w p a r t o f t h e Kering Group) acquired the brand in 2001: the acquisi- tion represented a new era for Bottega Veneta, which obtained the resources and support needed to expand a n d d i v e r s i f y i t s p r o d u c t range. Under Kering's own- ership, Bottega Veneta ven- tured beyond leather goods t o i n c l u d e r e a d y - t o - w e a r clothing, shoes, and acces- sories, while still upholding its commitment to quality craftsmanship. A pivotal moment in the history of the brand came in 2018 with the appointment of Daniel Lee as Creative D i r e c t o r . L e e ' s p r e v i o u s experience at Celine under Phoebe Philo set the stage for a new direction for Bot- tega Veneta: his minimalis- t i c a n d m o d e r n d e s i g n approach differed from pre- vious styles and was a suc- cess with critics and con- sumers alike. Under Lee's leadership, Bottega Veneta introduced several iconic products, such as the Pouch and the Jodie Bag, which were not only commercially successful but also helped r e i n v i g o r a t e t h e b r a n d ' s a p p e a l , p a r t i c u l a r l y t o a younger demographic. This is why Daniel Lee's tenure at Bottega Veneta is viewed t o d a y a s a n i m p o r t a n t m o m e n t o f r e v i t a l i z a t i o n and transformation, where the brand's traditional ele- ments were reinterpreted with a contemporary twist, contributing to its resur- gence in the fashion indus- t r y . L e e ' s d e s i g n s w e r e a blend of the brand's heritage with modern sensibilities, a mix that managed to strike a p e r f e c t b a l a n c e b e t w e e n classic elegance and contem- porary trends. Today, Bottega Veneta's design philosophy is both iconic and inspirational in the fashion industry, and led many designers to embrace simplicity and understated elegance in their creations. With a strong presence in o v e r 5 0 c o u n t r i e s , i t h a s continued to evolve, com- bining its commitment to quality craftsmanship and timeless design with modern innovation. This also result- ed in significant financial growth and success over the y e a r s , r e f l e c t i n g B o t t e g a Veneta's esteemed position in the luxury fashion indus- try. Following the acquisi- tion by the Gucci Group in 2001, Bottega Veneta's sales grew 15-fold from 2001 to 2010. By 2012, the brand's sales had reached the $1 bil- lion mark. Then, under the creative direction of Daniel L e e , a n d m a i n t a i n i n g i t s focus on well-crafted logo- less, and simplicity-driven products, the brand further enhanced its financial per- formance: in 2020, Bottega Veneta's sales amounted to 1.140 billion euros, and in 2022, the revenue increased to 1.74 billion euros, indicat- ing a consistent upward tra- jectory in the brand's finan- cial success . Celebrities like Rihanna and Hailey Bieber have been spotted embracing Bot- tega Veneta's designs, show- casing the brand's appeal to a diverse range of styles and tastes. Rihanna notably wore a B o t t e g a V e n e t a b u r n t orange halter-neck gown at a significant event in Barba- dos, while Hailey Bieber was seen in the brand's green feathered jeans at the VMAs. These instances highlight the brand's versatility and its ability to cater to both ele- gant and edgy fashion state- ments, further cementing Bottega Veneta's status in the luxury fashion sphere . With its history made of tradition and craftsmanship, along with a renewed inter- e s t i n c r e a t i v i t y a n d e l e - g a n c e , B o t t e g a V e n e t a embodies quite perfectly the essence of what the world c o n s i d e r s " g o o d M a d e i n Italy:" a distinctively Italian sense of luxury, never over the top, but with the right "edge." T h e E t r u s c a n s a n d a n c i e n t R o m a n s w e r e early pioneers in the development of dentures. They crafted early dental prosthetics from various materials, including h u m a n a n d a n i m a l t e e t h . A n c i e n t d e n t u r e s w e r e designed to replace missing teeth and were likely more for aesthetic purposes than func- tional ones. Indeed, the Etruscans, who, as many of you know, occupied a large part of Tus- cany and central Italy in pre- R o m a n a n d e a r l y - R o m a n times, were known for their contributions to prosthetic dentistry: they created dental bridges using gold rings to hold ox-teeth, as testified by findings from a tomb that contained three artificial teeth bound together with a band of p u r e g o l d . T h e s e f i n d i n g s i n d i c a t e t h e E t r u s c a n s ' advanced skills in dental pros- t h e t i c s a n d t h e i r u s e o f sophisticated materials like gold and animal teeth to cre- ate functional dental appli- ances. If you are interested, some examples of Etruscan dentures are exhibited at the M u s e o N a z i o n a l e d i T a r - quinia. The Romans, who suc- ceeded the Etruscans in Italy, also made advancements in denture technology. They con- tinued to use materials like animal teeth, but they also explored the use of others, s u c h a s i v o r y a n d b o n e . Roman dentists and dental technicians were skilled at crafting dentures that were both functional and aestheti- cally pleasing. Interestingly, dentists in Rome, at least in the earliest centuries of its existence, were mostly Etr- uscans! One famous example of Roman dentures is a set found in a grave in Italy, dat- ing back to the 4th century AD, made of a combination of human teeth and animal bone and held together with metal pins. A s a m a t t e r o f f a c t , t h e ancient Romans knew a thing or two about dentistry: they had their own toothpaste, dentifricium, a blend of pow- dered deer horn, ammonium s a l t , c r u s h e d s h e l l s , a n d h o n e y , a s p e r P l i n y t h e E l d e r ' s r e c i p e . T h e y a l s o employed innovative tech- niques to combat dental ail- ments: for instance, to tackle p e r i o d o n t a l d i s e a s e , t h e y would wrap loose teeth in gold filaments to stabilize them, and they used cheese's alkaliz- ing effect on saliva to fight against cavities, in an early recognition of diet's role in oral health. B a c k t o d e n t u r e s , i t ' s important to note that these ancient examples were not as advanced as modern ones in terms of comfort and durabili- ty. Still, they demonstrate the ingenuity and resourcefulness o f a n c i e n t c i v i l i z a t i o n s i n addressing dental issues. A plaster cast for a modern denture. This common prosthetic tool has ancient ori- gins (Photo: Robert Kneschke/Dreamstime) A colorful Bottega Veneta window (Photo: Mooindy/Dreamstime) The Etruscans and the Romans: the inventors of dentures Bottega Veneta: a symbol of "quiet luxury" LA VITA ITALIANA TRADITIONS HISTORY CULTURE

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