Bottega Veneta opens a school for artisanal craft, unveiling the Accademia Labor et Ingenium.

Bottega Veneta’s Accademia Labor et Ingenium – the Academy of Craft and Creativity – has been founded to continue the house’s commitment to preserving traditional technique.

Based between the Bottega Veneta atelier in Montebello Vicentino and a dedicated new space at the brand’s manufacturing site in Povolaro Dueville, Accademia Labor et Ingenium will serve as a permanent workshop, where Bottega Veneta employees, new hires, and external students can learn from master artisans through training activities, workshops, and courses.

A central pillar of the academy will be a comprehensive training program for 50 students a year, with guaranteed employment at Bottega Veneta on completion of the course. The program is led by a community of five Bottega Veneta master artisans and champions the collective ethos that has defined the company since its foundation in 1966.

Extraordinary feats of leatherwork and craft have defined creative director Matthieu Blazy’s tenure at Bottega Veneta so far, facets of his collections made possible by the Italian house’s atelier and craftspeople (originally, ‘bottega’ referred to a shop with a small artisanal workshop in the back).

The school will take on 50 students a year, with a guarantee of employment from the house on completion of the program. Lessons will be led by five Bottega Veneta master artisans, while the academy will also provide tutorship for existing employees in upcycling and reskilling, as well as uniting with local partners in a celebration of the wider made-in-Italy crafts of the region. This includes a ‘masterclass’ with Università Iuav di Venezia titled ‘The Artisanal Creative Process: Training Course in Bag Design & Product Development’.

A key strategic pillar to preserve Bottega Veneta’s unique savoir-faire,’ Bottega Veneta hopes that such exchanges will ensure craft know-how is passed between generations.