Why Is Bottega Veneta Removing Its Products and Logos From Stores?

If that seems at odds with the entire focus of an important selling period, Bottega Veneta is making it clear that they want to give back this season. The Milan-based company wants to support the country's local "bottegas" that embody the best of Italian creativity and who may not have the kind of platform the brand enjoys. (Bottega Veneta translates to "Venetian Shop" in Italy.)

As such, they are spotlighting the work of 12 different Italian shops this holiday season by featuring and promoting their produce in Bottega Veneta's IRL Milan advertising spaces, website, newsletters, store shelves and windows (participating boutiques include those in Milan, Rome and Venice). Yes, the brand is replacing its actual clothes and accessories with adverts for things like Pasta from Pastificio Martelli, ceramics from Enza Fasano and olive oil from Olio Vanini.

"Over the past few days, you might have noticed that our collection has not been displayed and that our logo and products are not present in our communications," Bartolomeo Rongone, CEO of Bottega Veneta, said in a LinkedIn post about the company's Bottega for Bottegas project. "During the holiday season, we wanted to offer our visibility to other Italian workshops — the Bottegas. These magnificent entities embody the best of our country’s creativity and deserve to be known all over the world."

The company plans to make this project an annual thing and give visibility to more bottegas. See the video, below, for a closer look at the new initiative.

Photos courtesy of Bottega Veneta