Introduction
Bottega Veneta has been proving the beauty and quality of its products since 1966 when the company was founded. Though it is best known for the production of different leather goods (mostly hand-woven), such as bags, shoes, and even belts, Bottega Veneta’s collection of dresses has proven that the firm is great not only in leather goods. The collection has attracted much attention for its unusualness and the designer’s timelessness style. Tomas, Bottega Veneta’s designer created the dress in question from a draping pleated light fiber of neutral color, which made it resemble ancient Greek dress; this dress has some commonalities with one of Valentino’s creations, though several distinctions are also present. Bottega Veneta is a truly Italian brand for it represents this country’s national identity.
The Dress
The dress under consideration differs from other Bottega Veneta’s items. It stands out among the rest of garments ever designed by Tomas. Tomas utilized streaming fibers earlier but never have they been so impressive. For instance, Bottega Veneta’s 2008 collection also abounds with dresses from light fibers performed in pastel colors (Picture 1-3). Thus, compared with the previous collection, this dress expresses certain novelty and freshness emphasizing at the same time timelessness of this style. The dress under consideration is an Ancient Greek looking dress made from polyester. The fiber is pleated and it drapes; the dresses performed in this style give an idea of simplicity due to the absence of obtrusive details and their neutral and pastel colors. The twisted knot detail created around the shoulder gives the dress certain mysteriousness; this knot reminds of the knot clutch bag in Tomas’ collection, which makes the dress easily distinguishable from the others performed in similar style.
Bottega Veneta vs. Valentino
If compared with Valentino’s dresses, Bottega Veneta’s have several similar features, but they still remain original at this. Valentino dress (Picture 4) is also made from polyester, though only partially. The upper part of the dress reminds that of Bottega Veneta; the pieces of fiber cross a bit higher than in case with Tomas’s dress and they are made from thinner cloth. This also creates an impression of lightness which is further sustained by a silky streaming skirt which gives an idea of airiness, though different from that of Bottega Veneta’s dress. Unlike Bottega Veneta’s dress, Valentino’s does not have any knots. Despite this, the upper part of the dress still gives it some Ancient Greek style. Valentino’s dress is not close-fitting, while Tomas preferred to make it narrower. The material of Valentino’s dress clings to the skin due to its being somewhat heavier; at this, however, the effect of lightness is not lost. Bottega Veneta’s dress is also not tight, though it manages to perfectly outline the figure due to its being close-fitting.
At first glance, it seems that there is not much similarity between these two dresses. A closer look allows distinguishing certain features common for both of them. Thus, the first feature is the lightness which the dresses manage to achieve despite the fibers being drastically different. The second feature is crossed pieces of cloth in the upper part of the dress. The difference here, however, consists in different types of crossing. One more similarity is the dresses’ outlining the figure; again, they do it differently. Valentino’s dress does it through certain heaviness of material, while Bottega Veneta’s one is simply close-fitting in the waist. The main differences are intricate knots in the case with Bottega Veneta’s dress and the style of the skirt, as well as pleating in Bottega Veneta’s dress.
Italian National Identity
The question of whether Bottega Veneta can be considered a purely Italian brand is often raised in the world of fashion. Of course, the fact that the items are designed by a German and the company, in general, is controlled by the French group PPR makes the issue of Bottega Veneta’s expressing Italian national identity controversial. Despite this, this brand can still be considered purely Italian, especially after 2001 when it was bought by Gucci, also an Italian brand, by the way. None of the brand’s admirers will ever refer to German or French brands because “Made in Italy” is the first thing that is associated with the name “Bottega Veneta”. Moreover, leather is also characteristic of Italian fashion, especially of everything related to bags, belts, and, most important, shoes. Bottega Veneta is, perhaps, the best here, which is why it can be regarded as a representative of Italian national identity.
Conclusion
Bottega Veneta has been satisfying its customers over the years. Its garment does not in any way are inferior to its leather items. Tomas’s 2009 collection of dresses has surpassed all expectations. The dress under consideration reminds me of the Ancient Greek dress, which is achieved by the streaming fabric and close-fitting in waste, as well as by twisted knots around the shoulder. Despite controversies f whether the brand can be considered purely Italian, it seems that it really is due to its specializing in leather goods.
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