Lauren Hutton made a fashionable comeback on the Spring/Summer 2017 runway, evoking memories of her iconic American Gigolo role in 1980 when she carried a Bottega Veneta Intrecciato burgundy clutch.
(Courtesy of InStyle)
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“People know a Bottega the minute they see one. So we put our name on the inside only.” — These early advertising words summed up the house’s Intrecciato technique that would become the cornerstone of a no-logo luxury revolution.
Founded in 1966 by Michele Taddei and Renzo Zengiaro, Bottega Veneta started as a leather goods workshop in Veneto, Italy. By 1975, the arrival of Intrecciato had already sent ripples through the fashion landscape, soon earning a pop-culture seal of approval when Lauren Hutton famously carried an Intrecciato bag in the cult film American Gigolo (1980).
The Vicenza-born brand has trusted this technique to speak for itself for over half a century. With that in mind, here’s the scoop on the groundbreaking Intrecciato that’s making bigger waves in Hollywood than ever—and why you might (or might not) want to call yourself a proud Bottega owner.
How Bottega Veneta Made “Quiet” the Loudest Luxury of All
Princess Diana cemented her fashion icon status with a lustrous Bottega Veneta Intrecciato bag in hand, 1983.
(Courtesy of Vogue)
Intrecciato is Bottega Veneta’s signature craft: leather strips (fettucce) woven into a supple, patterned surface that the house has refined since 1975. The Milan-based label explicitly describes Intrecciato as simply a “blank canvas,” open to endless possibilities of materials, treatments, and weaving techniques.
So, why exactly was Intrecciato such a hit? At a time when luxury handbags were stiff and far from practical, Bottega Veneta’s supple weave felt fresh, functional, and instantly revolutionary.
Bottega Veneta Intrecciato Roma Handbag available on ZenLuxe.
“In 1960s Italy, the market was dominated by heavy, stiff, and structured handbags,” Bottega Veneta’s Director of Craft and Heritage, Barbara Zanin, explained to Vogue.
“[Our] designs were characterized by their great softness—the bags were fluid, supple, simple. The introduction of the Intrecciato gave the bags a fluidity, almost like a fabric.”
The 45-Degree Intrecciato Twist
The Italian label prides itself on exceptional artisanal know-how, keeping the groundbreaking Intrecciato alive and evolving.
(Courtesy of Bottega Veneta)
Bottega Veneta presents Intrecciato as a collective craft, shaped by the hands of artisans in Italy who carry forward Veneto’s leather-working heritage.
Unlike simple plaits or braids, Bottega’s Intrecciato turned the weave on its head—literally—by shifting it to a 45-degree diagonal. This small change transformed the texture, making bags supple yet visually commanding.
As the Italian house stated in its Craft in Motion film, “The Intrecciato is an extraordinary form of art. It almost becomes a blank canvas for the various processes and for playing around with colours, styles, sizes, and construction techniques.”
Why Intrecciato Became Hollywood’s Quiet Obsession
Pregnant Jennifer Lawrence dazzled at the 15th Governors Awards in Los Angeles on November 17, 2024, as she carried a gold Bottega Veneta Intrecciato clutch.
(Courtesy of WWD)
Flashy Gucci has its loyal crowd, and plenty of people cling tightly to their Louis Vuitton monogram classics, but Bottega Veneta’s Intrecciato has carved out its own cult status.
Jennifer Lawrence, Ayo Edebiri, Charlize Theron, Halle Berry, and Margot Robbie have all made the Italian weave part of their style vocabulary. Meanwhile, Bottega Veneta’s boys—A$AP Rocky, Bad Bunny, Jacob Elordi, Pedro Pascal, and Nicholas Hoult—have also stepped out as admirers of the craft.
Moustachioed Jacob Elordi knows how to pull off a playful Bottega look.
(Courtesy of Vogue)
The groundbreaking design even caught the eye of royalty, with Princess Diana clutching her shiny Bottega Veneta Intrecciato in a glamorous fashion moment.
Much of Bottega Veneta’s Hollywood status traces back to Lauren Hutton’s burgundy Intrecciato clutch in American Gigolo (1980), an iconic moment that forever cemented the bag’s place in fashion pop culture.
Appropriately revived in 2017 as the “Lauren Clutch,” it remains a classic pick for those who value understated, Italian elegance—though let’s be honest, Intrecciato is now every bit as recognizable as the loudest logos!
5 Must-Have Intrecciato Designs From Bottega Veneta
Kylie Jenner declared herself a devoted fan of Bottega Veneta’s Intrecciato Andiamo.
(Courtesy of @archivekyliejenner)
Ready to embrace quiet Italian luxury? These five timeless picks are the perfect place to start:
Andiamo – Meaning “let’s go” in Italian, this cult favorite style is Bottega Veneta’s take on the day-to-evening top-handle, complete with a sliding braided strap for ultimate versatility. Fashion mogul Kylie Jenner has even called her medium Andiamo “my go-to favourite bag of all time”, praising it as the “best investment” because it “just fits everything.”
Brand: BOTTEGA VENETA
Model: Andiamo Intrecciato Shoulder Bag
Color: Black x Gold
Price: $3,699
Jodie – Defined by a rounded hobo silhouette and a knotted handle, Jodie draws on Bottega Veneta’s iconic Intrecciato weave. Its buttery-soft leather reflects the label’s extraordinary language of design, shaped to sit gracefully against the body.
Brand: BOTTEGA VENETA
Model: Mini Intrecciato Jodie Handbag
Color: Yellow
Price: $1,791
Roma – The Roma bag is the perfect pick for anyone drawn to a universally appealing silhouette. With the house’s signature Intrecciato weave, it’s a piece you’ll find yourself reaching for time and again!
Brand: BOTTEGA VENETA
Model: Intrecciato Roma Handbag
Color: Blue
Price: $1,088
Cassette – As a modern everyday companion, Cassette reinterprets Intreccio with an enlarged weave in supple leather. The family grows beyond the classic bag into a full lineup of accessories, crafted in diverse finishes and materials to suit every mood.
Brand: BOTTEGA VENETA
Model: Intrecciato Cassette Padded Shoulder Bag
Color: Beige
Price: $1,301
Arco – Aptly named after its arched handle, this unique model is built from broad strips of buttery nappa leather. Its bonded construction gives it a seamless weave that can be admired from the exterior right through to the interior.
Brand: BOTTEGA VENETA
Model: Intrecciato Small Arco Tote Bag
Color: Black
Price: $2,147
How to Care for Your Bottega Veneta Intrecciato
True Italian luxury calls for mindful care—would you commit?
(Courtesy of Bottega Veneta)
If you’re thinking of committing to the universally recognized Intrecciato from Bottega Veneta, remember that quality materials demand quality care. Each piece, crafted in Italy from natural leather, may show variations, veins, or subtle marks—unique traits that luxury buyers often embrace as part of owning a true Bottega.
That said, you’ll need to store your Intrecciato piece carefully and avoid exposure to liquids, oils, cosmetics, perfumes, direct sun, heat, and abrasive textures. This ensures it remains pristine while aging with the kind of elegance only true luxury allows.
Who Intrecciato Is (and Isn’t) For
Rihanna turned heads in New York City with a fresh-off-the-Spring-2024-runway Bottega Veneta bag.
(Courtesy of Fashionista)
Choose Intrecciato if you value artisanal craftsmanship over chunky hardware, prefer understated texture to overt logos, and want a bag that reflects pure design fluency rather than just status. It’s also particularly appealing for those who appreciate silhouettes that shift easily from soft and relaxed to sharp and structured.
On the other hand, if your taste leans toward structured leathers, bold external logos (think Dior, Fendi, Chanel, or Prada), and silhouettes with rigid form, you may want to explore what other luxury houses have to offer.
The good news is that ZenLuxe curates authentic secondhand pieces from across these brands in one place, making it easy to compare, choose, and have your pick delivered straight from Japan to your doorstep!
About The Writer
Meet Mariam — a fashion writer who lives and breathes all things vogue and glamour. For her, the most therapeutic aspect of fashion goes beyond simply shopping for the latest styles that appear in stores; it’s fully experiencing this glamorous world from the little details to the big moments (there's nothing quite like the thrill of flipping through a sleek fashion magazine, is there?).
