Originally posted by MJCouture+Apr 24th, 2004 - 10:11 am--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MJCouture @ Apr 24th, 2004 - 10:11 am)</div><div class='quotemain'> <!--QuoteBegin-Orochian@Apr 24th, 2004 - 1:38 am
Bottega Veneta has a real chance of overtaking Hermes in the leather goods department - overall they have a much stronger portfolio of products, design and quality wise.
I don't think that is so realistic. Does Bottega make every bag by hand? Do they only employ the highest crafters in the world to make their bags? If your bottega bag is in need of repair, do they send it back to the SAME craftsman who made it in the first place? I really don't see how BV can even compete in the Hermes playing field, even if they do offer a nice, high quality product. [/b][/quote]
Um, actually, "yes" to all your questions, plus the fact that BV has a much more progressive design philosophy. Gaultier is now at Hermes, but it's a habit of Hermes to exclude its staple leather goods from the duties of its creative director, so I'm expecting few changes in that department.
Did you happen to know anything about BV before shouting our your doubts, btw?
An excerpt from FWD's preview of their fall 2002 collection:
Bottega Veneta products are not cheap – its £8080 for the beautiful ‘Vis-à-vis’ red crocodile bag, and £1500 for a standard circular tote in the brands signature basket weave ‘intrecciato’– but that’s the point.
Everything is handmade by their Veneto-based artisans using Chervo deerskin, and crocodile.
Their bags are also almost devoid of hardware, and are so soft they could be rolled up without compromising their structural integrity or harming the materials.
The only advantage Hermes has over BV is its label's strength and heritage - about which I don't give a flying hoot. I'm sure tons of label queens and fashion victims would though, but that's only going to make BV the intelligent insider's choice that it's striving to be.