We chat to Tomas Maier about the brand’s presence in the luxury market
How would you say the brand has changed since you came on board in 2001?
We’ve introduced an array of offerings on top of our women’s ready-to-wear and accessories lines, including menswear, home furnishings, travel accessories, eyewear and, most recently, fragrances.
I am a perfectionist – I will shut down a project if it isn’t up to my standards – so our growth has been tempered. One thing that will never change, I hope, is our underlying ethos, which I believe is impervious to peripheral conditions.
With the brand’s pedigree in leather craftsmanship, how is the industry evolving year after year? What developments are there in cutting, dyeing, designing and fabricating?
Advancements in technology have allowed for a greater range of possibilities when working with leather. For example, we have been able to develop “memory” fabrications, in which thin aluminium sheets are sewn underneath calf or lambskin to provide a malleable form of structure. Likewise, with seamless constructions, where we are able to create entire products from a single weave.
On Sunday, the luxury brand has invited VIPs and select guests to purchase items in its Abu Dhabi boutique before having them initialled.
The next day, Monday, the same service will be offered all day to anyone who visits the brand’s new flagship store located in Level 1 of The Galleria on Al Maryah Island. Then it’s Dubai’s turn on October 8 and 9 at Mall of the Emirates.
Ladies can choose to monogram intrecciato nappa shoppers, wallets and other small leather goods such as belts; the options for men include a tote and a cross-body bag, among other accessories. If you’re in the market for a new set of luggage, from a duffel bag to a toiletry case, Bottega Veneta will initial those for you, too.
[ rduane@thenational.ae ]
For store details and more information about the monogramming service, visit www.bottegaveneta.com
