I did some window shopping at the Bottega Veneta in Los Angeles a couple years ago and found a classic tote bag I really liked. I had no reason to buy it at the time, but decided to revisit it if I was still thinking about it when my 40th birthday rolled around.
As luck would have it, my husband and I went to Rome last month, just two months before my 40th. We decided to check out the Bottega Veneta store on Via Condotti and see if the bag was in stock.
The place was beautiful and gigantic, with several rooms of merchandise spread across two wide floors. I guess it's pretty new, opened in 2021 in a 19th century building on the famous Via Condotti. It's also the largest Bottega store in Europe.
We'd been inside for maybe thirty seconds when a sales associate came to assist us, the kind and enterprising Andrea. I told him what I was looking for and he ran off to track down all available colors and sizes. I browsed while we waited, and my husband enacted the part of bored husband out shopping with wife. Bottega makes beautiful things, and I enjoyed looking at them all in one place.
After trying out the options Andrea brought back, I figured out the combination I wanted--medium, basic black, and not in stock at Via Condotti. Andrea asked how long we'd be in Rome, and told us he could have that bag shipped to the store before we left, with no obligation to buy. He gave me his WhatsApp information, and we agreed to come back later in the week.
He met us at 6:50 on a Friday evening, ten minutes before closing. Convenient for us, probably less than ideal for him, though he did not show it. I was almost relieved to find that yes, I did love the bag, a beautifully made tote in Bottega's signature Intrecciato leather.
It was a big purchase, an early birthday gift from my husband, but we did save about 30% out the door by buying in Italy. I'm very happy with my new bag, and plan to use it through my 40s and beyond. If you're looking to shop Bottega Veneta in Rome, I'd recommend a visit to Via Condetti. read more