The Venetian leather atelier Bottega Veneta is a jewel in the crown of Kering, one of the world’s most successful luxury and lifestyle groups. Alongside other luxury brands in Kering’s portfolio, which includes Gucci, Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen, Bottega Veneta has grown into a global phenomenon and for the past decade the brand has been opening its sleek, dark-interior boutiques all over the world. Bottega Veneta’s signature woven leather, known as “intrecciato,” is a symbol of the house’s value of craftsmanship, quality and discreet luxury. In 2011, with the help of Coty Prestige and Robertet, Bottega Veneta launched its first fragrance for women, a modern chypre with subtle leather undertones. This year Bottega Veneta has added a men’s fragrance to the collection, which is simply titled Pour Homme. I often approach this type of fragrance with trepidation. Luxury brands with little history in perfumery don’t always get it right. The perfume either lacks signature and it is a diluted collage of other successful perfumes on the market or the result is entirely off-brand. Earlier this year a well-known perfumer questioned me; why is a children’s ready-to-wear company launching an oudh perfume? Although 2011 marked the release of Bottega Veneta’s ... Read More »