the film showcases the brand’s heritage and commitment to preserving its unparalleled savoir-faire in the fashion world the unprecedented look into Bottega Veneta‘s iconic artisanal workshop highlights its renowned Intrecciato weaving technique Featuring a mix of indoor and outdoor shots the film captures the serenity and brightness of the 19th-century restored villa that houses the workshop and delves into the meticulously handcrafted processes behind each design Ver esta publicación en InstagramUna publicación compartida por Matthieu Blazy (@matthieu_blazy) Bottega Veneta continues to demonstrate its dedication to craftsmanship and design offering a unique experience for viewers through its films and access to its workshops Tomas Maier and the eco-friendly Bottega Veneta atelier in the heart of the Veneto countryside famed for his mid-20th century slashed paintings – the sense of heritage and savoir faire was palpable The collection's accessories evinced another kind of artistry nurtured by the brand since 1966 and today explored at its modern atelier in Montebello Vicentino a town in the northern province of Vicenza "One of the most significant events in the past 15 years for me was the first time I met the artisans shortly before I joined the company," recalls Maier "I wanted to create a place that would be the perfect house for our master artisans." True to his word in 2013 Maier relocated the atelier to the 18th-century Villa Schroeder-Da Porto after lengthy renovation The listed heritage site is surrounded by 55,000 square metres of verdant parkland; its Vicenza stone pillared façade looks out onto acres of untouched flat terrain save for the odd barn and greenhouse that punctuate the landscape Adding romance to the view are rolling hills and the two Montecchio Maggiore castles in the distance claimed to be the inspiration for the story of Romeo and Juliet was to preserve the site's historic splendour while pioneering sustainable production with minimal impact on the environment Maier's plan saw the building's surface area double in size; the work which began in 2011 and took a year- and-a-half to complete included the meticulous restoration of the original estate and a sprawling extension to accommodate the site's extensive family of artisans and support staff From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox "It's hard to say which part we cared about most but one critical aspect was the large windows in our main workshop," he says "Light affects a room more than anything else perform better and feel better." Forging an emotional connection with the manufacturing process has long since been at the heart of Bottega Veneta the villa atelier was awarded Platinum Certification for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) the first fashion and luxury house to receive such an honour when the list of schemes supporting a sustainable working practice reads like a 'how to' of pioneering building work The park has been replanted following extensive research into local vegetation; rainwater is collected in an underwater reservoir and then recycled and the atelier's roof is layered with solar panels the villa is lit by antique Murano glass chandeliers and modern sensor lamps and a tour through the white-walled atelier – which specialises exclusively in its leather accessories – illustrates the methodical workmanship applied to these luxury products The main workshop runs perpendicular to the centre of the villa and is set within a glass conservatory these are sent to factories for commercial production arrive from tanneries and are subjected to a vigorous vetting system to guarantee the quality of the finished product These are expertly carried out with scientific precision in specialised rooms in the atelier's new extension beyond the glass workshop research at the Montebello Vicentino site is painstakingly precise exposes the leather to 45°C heat and 95 per cent humidity for seven days The Martindale abrasion and piling test is used to guarantee a material's durability by mechanically rubbing it against coarse fabric – soft nappa leather is put through no fewer than 1,500 cycles I'm told – and the strength of the material is determined with a mechanical dynamometer Yet another test involves the application of a liquid set to a pH level similar to that of human perspiration; this will help determine how best to minimise the effects of everyday wear and tear on the material Montebello Vicentino's purpose is twofold: to produce samples and prototypes that may or may not be put into production and to give products that have passed its exacting trials the final stamp of approval workshops and Bottega Veneta's Scuola della Pelletteria – established in 2006 this is where future artisans are trained – Montebello Vicentino is also home to the house's guarded archives and museum rooms Access to this treasure trove is positively Narniaesque: an oversize fairytale-like key opens a set of heavy wooden double doors to reveal polished glass vitrines and stuccoed mantelpieces These display jewels and countless samples of the Knot Clutch the minaudière first introduced in the 1980s and to which Maier added a metal clasp in the shape of a leather knot in 2001 The centrepiece of an adjacent room is a long table strewn with a selection of the Cabat bag basket-style woven leather tote made entirely by hand It is a feat of technical craftsmanship that takes two artisans two full days to produce While such facts go some way towards highlighting the savoir faire behind the brand to fully grasp the virtuosity of Maier's work at Bottega Veneta is to wear his designs "I am always thinking about private luxury," he explains "You own something and you really get to understand it The experience of wearing it elevates it to another level." One ingenious variation of the Cabat bag epitomises this idea of luxury as a multi-sensory and personal experience woven into the house's signature criss-cross pattern has been secretly lined with a material that reacts with movement to replicate the sound of a traditional straw panier superimposed onto a work of exquisite craftsmanship Tom Ford suggested Maier for the role of creative director Maier set about returning the then ailing brand to its former glory superior materials and wearability rather than overt branding Maier realigned Bottega Veneta with the brand's famous 1970s slogan: 'When your own initials are enough.' "I don't think I could pinpoint a Bottega Veneta woman or man," says Maier of the brand's demographic a life philosophy; about an appreciation for excellence that is understated They are people who have a keen sense of their values and priorities without needing to show them." Michele Taddei and Renzo Zengiaro set up Bottega Veneta in Vicenza a short drive from the Montebello Vicentino atelier and still the location of the brand's headquarters (furniture and ready-to-wear are produced there) Bottega Veneta was rooted in traditional craftsmanship and techniques indigenous to the Veneto region It was in the 1970s that the duo first introduced the Intrecciato motif the Intrecciato weaving technique remains the distinctive style of the luxury house and its many possibilities are explored by hand at the villa workshop in Montebello Vicentino a leather base is pierced at a 45-degree angle before colour-matched leather strips called fettucce (cut by a device reminiscent of a traditional pasta maker) are threaded and looped through the incisions The Intrecciato is also at the heart of the aforementioned Cabat bag the first item Maier designed for the brand in 2001; ready- to-wear followed in 2002 and fine jewellery in 2006 as beautiful on the inside as on the outside and to reflect Bottega Veneta's philosophy of understatement luxury and contemporary functionality," he says of the complex construction the bag is entirely woven throughout using approximately a hundred ribbons of double-sided leather which measure over a metre-and-a-half in length are woven by hand to form triangular panels which are then joined by following the shape of a special mould The artisans must remain standing throughput this lengthy process which takes an average of 48 working hours to complete and requires considerable body strength In the modelling and engineering departments artisans develop Maier's sketches and photographs into patterns This requires a close rapport between Maier – whose studio is in New York - and the Italian operatives who bring alive the architecture of his ideas two-way collaboration and mutual respect," says the designer whose modus operandi is very much anchored in the idea of community and social connectivity the villa atelier was conceived as a kind of creative hub with its own campus-like facilities I can't be more proud of what we've been able to achieve with the collaboration of all the people who constantly work for this company with incredible dedication and commitment," says Maier the brand was the only fashion company to be recognised as one of Italy's best large firms appearing on a top ten list compiled by the Great Place To Work Institute a non-profit organisation that ranks multinationals in 45 countries test and solve design challenges," he explains "The artisans give me feedback and suggestions and so their contributions can be creative as well as technical I like the sense that there are skilled hands behind Bottega Veneta who come together to make our products." The run-up to September's 50th anniversary show at Brera Academy must have been a busy time at the villa atelier. Fifteen iconic archive bags were showcased, including one that managed to make time stand still for a second: a china-red leather clutch last seen in the 1980 movie American Gigolo Maier matched the old with the new by also presenting the same number of SS17 bags on the catwalk – a clever way to show the seamless continuum of workmanship through the decades A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Italy’s Davide Rebellin was killed by a truck driver hit in Montebello Vicentino in Vicenza while out riding his bike After retiring at 51, Davide Rebellin killed by truck driver in Italy Carrying on with what might be sheer cussedness Rebellin is getting better known for his longevity than his incredible feat of sweeping the 2006 Ardennes Classics La Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege from April 18-24 Until Philippe Gilbert matched the feat in 2011–taking Brabantse Pijl beforehand–the Italian was the only rider to have accomplished the sweep Rabobank’s Michael Boogerd was runner-up to Gerolsteiner’s Rebellin with the Italian using a smaller gear to beat the Dutchman on the Cauberg in the Netherlands and then in La Doyenne letting Boogerd drag him up to Vinokourov after the Kazakh attacked on the descent of the Ans Rebellin had stamped his mark on pro cycling in 1996 when he won the seventh stage of the Giro d’Italia while wearing the garish colours of Polti His victory put him in the pink jersey–ultimately Pavel Tonkov’s–for six stages before he came sixth overall He also was seventh in that year’s Vuelta a España Rebellin would find his Classics legs in Liquigas-Pata colours coming third to Paolo Bettini and David Etxebarria in the 2000 Liege-Bastogne-Liege and then placing runner-up to Oscar Camenzind in the 2001 edition this time finishing just ahead of Etxebarria His first big stage race GC victory came in 2001’s Tirreno-Adriatico–Boogerd was third In the light blue of Gerolsteiner he would be runner up to Michele Bartoli in the 2002 Il Lombardia until he won La Fleche Wallonne again in 2007 this time with Alejandro Valverde the runner-up The next season would see the heights of a winner’s trophy at Paris-Nice and a silver medal at the Beijing Olympic Games road race But soon after his La Fleche Wallonne hat trick in 2009 as a member of Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli the Italian Olympic committee announced that he was one of six athletes the International Olympic Committee had found using banned substances in Beijing Rebellin would serve a two-year ban for third generation EPO CERA and find a way back into the pro peloton in 2011 at age 39 with Italian Continental unit Miche-Guerciotti That season he won Tre Valli Varesine for the second time this time beating out Domenico Pozzovivo and Thibaut Pinot; Canada’s David Veilleux would take the next edition Four years with the “Polish Carrots” of CCC (2013-2016) bore the fruits of a second Giro dell’Emilia title in 2014; Michael Woods was that race’s runner-up last season Having been knocking around with Pro Continental and Continental squads for the last nine seasons it’s not a surprise that Rebellin started the last of his 19 Grand Tours back in 2008 What might be surprising is that for a fellow announced himself at the 1996 Giro he was historically bad at finishing Grand Tours He climbed off the bike in his last ten Grand Tours and 11 of the last 12 placing runner-up on four stages along the way Having rejoined Meridiana Kamen last season after having started 2019 with Algerian Sovac team with late-September’s Trofeo Matteotti meant to be his final race Rebellin had two race days under his belt before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the season The past two years Rebellin raced for the continental team In 2022 one of his best results was 11th overall at the Adriatica Ionica Race Get the digital edition of Canadian Cycling Magazine Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Matthieu Blazy‘s Bottega Veneta is opening the doors to its very own fashion design academy allowing aspiring creatives to learn from world-class artisans Accademia Labor et Ingenium promotes “craft and creativity” through independent workshops Students will be welcomed to Bottega Veneta’s new site in Povolaro Dueville and its existing atelier in Italy’s Montebello Vicentino The training program will accept 50 students annually guaranteeing jobs at Bottega Veneta after completion The Italian brand of the luxury group Kering known for its leather\ngoods and in particular the intrecciato,\nhas announced the opening of a new factory dedicated to footwear in\nVigonza This manufacturing\ndistrict is located in Veneto the region where the brand has been established\nsince its origins. Founded in 1966 in Vicenza under the aegis of Renzo\nZengiaro Bottega Veneta still maintains most of its production workshops\naround Venice including its main headquarters located in Montebello Vicentino the brand reorganises its footwear division bringing\ntogether handicrafts and all stages of the manufacturing process in one place,\nfrom conception to development is distinguished by a facade of\nperforated dark metal panels reminiscent of the intrecciato. It\nwas built \"by adopting innovative solutions to reduce its impact on the\nenvironment\" specifies the company in a statement. The workshop will\nemploy over 100 people and produce the creations of Artistic Director Matthieu\nBlazy Contact us: info@rli.uk.com The event will be held "at a specially-selected venue" on a date that is still to be communicated Over the last decade he had gained the reputation of one of cycling’s iron men Italy’s Davide Rebellin was killed by a truck driver The police are investigating and looking for the driver Rebellin had raced a crit in Monaco only last week Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert extend condolences to the family of Davide Rebellin, who tragically died practicing the sport he loved. pic.twitter.com/7YsP3Ixk2e — Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert (@IntermarcheWG) November 30, 2022 Rebellin was a three-time Fleche Wallonne winner and took the Liege-Bastogne-Liege title in 2004 He also won Tirreno-Adriatico and Paris-Nice in the early years in this century he wore the Giro d’Italia’s pink jersey for six days after winning Stage 7 while racing for Polti Rebellin’s reputation was tarnished by a CERA doping positive at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing That year was the last he raced for a top-level team He bounced around several ProTour and Continental teams from 2009 to this season when he raced for Italian Continental outfit Work Service Vitalcare Vega The last of his 61 career wins was in 2017