Review of Bottega Veneta ‘Craft Is Our Language’ Ad Campaign by Director and Photographer Jack Davison and Art Director Paul Olivennes with models Jack Antonoff, Dario Argento, Edward Buchanan, Barbara Chase-Riboud, Neneh Cherry, Dave Free, Lauren Hutton, I.N, Troy Kotsur, Vicky Krieps, Terrance Lau, Rie Miyazawa, Julianne Moore, Lorenzo Musetti, Shu Qi, Zadie Smith, Thanaerng, Tyler Okonma, and Lorenzo Viotti
Bottega Veneta marks the 50th anniversary of its Intrecciato leather weave with a deeply conceptual campaign that champions the brand’s artisanal core. Titled Craft is our Language, the black-and-white visuals are austere yet expressive, combining documentary-style portraits with sculptural studies of hands, gestures, and touch.
Photographed and directed by Jack Davison, the campaign enlists a broad spectrum of artists, designers, and performers — from Tyler, the Creator to Zadie Smith — whose images are paired with anonymous hands mid-motion. Rather than showcasing full looks in stylized settings, the imagery emphasizes craftsmanship, tactility, and the emotional intelligence of form, positioning Intrecciato not as branding, but as a philosophy. Some subjects appear wrapped in woven leather, others simply framed by light and gesture.
The hands, often isolated in diptychs, nod both to the maker and the wearer — merging the heritage of artisan and artist. The project also recalls Bruno Munari’s 1963 book Supplement to the Italian Dictionary, drawing a line between Italian visual culture and bodily expression.
While the casting spans disciplines, two participants bring the campaign’s historical thread into focus: Edward Buchanan, the house’s former design director who launched its first RTW line in the ’90s, and Lauren Hutton, who carried an Intrecciato clutch in American Gigolo. Their inclusion subtly roots the campaign’s forward-looking vision in lived history.
Rather than pushing a new seasonal aesthetic, Bottega uses this campaign to reaffirm its identity as a house where luxury is defined by process, not spectacle. The message is clear: craft doesn’t shout — it resonates.
Director & Photographer | Jack Davison
Art Director | Paul Olivennes
Directors of Photography | James Beattie and Peter Hou
Choreographer | Lenio Kaklea
Models | Jack Antonoff, Dario Argento, Edward Buchanan, Barbara Chase-Riboud, Neneh Cherry, Dave Free, Lauren Hutton, I.N, Troy Kotsur, Vicky Krieps, Terrance Lau, Rie Miyazawa, Julianne Moore, Lorenzo Musetti, Shu Qi, Zadie Smith, Thanaerng, Tyler Okonma, and Lorenzo Viotti
Stylist | Robbie Spencer
Hair | Sigi Kumpfmüller
Makeup | Hiromi Ueda
Casting Director | Julia Lange
Set Designers | Staci-Lee Hindley and Julia Wagner
Production | Untitled Project