The New Shape of Weaving

In recent seasons, weaving has been the undisputed protagonist among leatherworking techniques. In a market dominated by quiet luxury, it was the only one to truly capture the public’s attention, showcasing savoir-faire while embodying an idea of luxurious, timeless craftsmanship. Bottega Veneta was the benchmark for this trend, and many brands followed suit, incorporating similar techniques into their collections.

Today, with quiet luxury losing some of its dominance and other techniques on the rise, weaving may appear to be losing its leading position. Yet both the runways and sales figures tell a different story. Weaving remains a key technique in luxury, but it is evolving, moving from simpler constructions towards more complex forms, playing with dimensions, techniques and, above all, materials.

Metallic and laminated leathers, Lurex and synthetic yarns with transparent, iridescent effects, as well as combinations of different materials such as leather and cotton yarns, highlight the weaving pattern and define the design in a new and fresh way. Here, the preparation phase becomes crucial, as Orietta Tamanti, Administration and Sales Manager at R79, explains. The Marche-based company has more than forty years of experience in weaving techniques for footwear, leather goods and apparel, as well as furniture and automotive applications.

“Unlike in the past, we now work much more with a tailoring approach. In other words, we build and modify the technique and every single step of the process, even adapting the machinery, in order to achieve the result envisioned by the client. Clients provide us with artworks, and we have to find a way to reproduce that result by understanding which materials are best suited to the project and how to combine machinery with human intervention.”

Bottega Veneta is a perfect example of this evolution. The brand incorporates weaving into the construction of garments and accessories, almost making it secondary, while actually using it to define the silhouette through graphic effects or by choosing materials that emphasise its two-dimensional quality.

Major brands such as Louis Vuitton are moving in the same direction, unsurprisingly one of the names most recognisable for the savoir-faire it consistently brings to the runway. Today, weaving is no longer simply a basic technique: it has once again become a distinctive element that expresses a brand’s ability to push beyond established boundaries through technique and innovation.