After 17 years as creative director at Bottega Veneta, Tomas Maier is stepping down from his post. The German designer has held the position at the Kering-owned brand since 2001. Under his direction, the brand surpassed $1 billion in sales in 2012 and became Kering’s second-largest luxury label behind Gucci.
Founded in 1966 in Vinceza, Italy, Bottega Veneta is famous for its handwoven leather bags. Before Maier, stints with Katie Grand, Stuart Vevers, and Giles Deacon faltered. Maier joined the brand as creative director in 2001, focusing on the craftsmanship of the accessories first.
Maier waited four years before presenting a ready-to-wear collection that has now become synonymous with understated elegance. “It’s largely due to Tomas’s high-level creative demands that Bottega Veneta became the house it is today. He put it back on the luxury scene and made it an undisputed reference,” François-Henri Pinault, chief executive and chairman of Kering told Business of Fashion. No word on where Maier plans to go next.
