Weaving Worlds

Bottega Veneta opened Destinations at NOMAD Abu Dhabi, presenting an exhibition that explored the symbolism and practice of weaving while honouring the fiftieth anniversary of its iconic Intrecciato leather technique. Set within the fair’s warmly lit setting, where visitors sat quietly observing the works against minimal, sand-toned walls, the showcase gathered eight creatives from across the Middle East and North Africa. Each responded to the house’s signature weave through their own materials, histories and artistic languages, creating an experience shaped by encounters, memory and craft. Curated by Rana Beiruti, the presentation unfolded like a journey, where every piece told a story, rooted in place yet open to exchange.

Among the contributors was Emirati architect Abdalla Almulla, founder of the multidisciplinary design studio MULA. His contribution reflected his distinctive practice, merging cultural narratives with formal experimentation. Known for using geometry and pattern as structuring principles, his process relied on research, prototyping and refinement, allowing ideas to evolve through dialogue between theory and form. In Destinations, his vision illuminated how Intrecciato could be read not only as a method of making but as a system of thinking – precise, iterative and deeply rooted in environment.

Alongside his work were creations by Moroccan artist Amine Asselman, who combined scientific precision with cultural geometry in ceramic and zellige work. Architectural studio bahraini – danish drew on history and surroundings to craft objects that bridged furniture, installation and space. Textile artist Esna Su channelled identity and memory into evocative handcrafted pieces, while lighting designer Nader Gammas merged storytelling with function. Sayar & Garibeh offered playful sculptural forms, Shaha Raphael created intuitively shaped pieces grounded in natural forces and collaborations with artisans, and Zein Daouk introduced biomorphic ceramic beings from The Third Kingdom, a world where narrative, craft and the natural realm intertwined.

Each piece honoured the house’s longstanding dedication to craftsmanship and creativity, revealing weaving as an act of unity, an interlacing of elements that strengthen when brought together. This ethos echoed Bottega Veneta’s Venetian roots, shaped by centuries of encounter and cultural exchange. The title Destinations evoked both this heritage and the house’s code of movement. Rana Beiruti described the works as diverse interpretations that honoured Intrecciato while carrying each designer’s personal gestures some grounded in traditional craft, others reimagining weaving as a metaphor of overlapping identities, narratives and cultures. Together, they celebrated artisanal communities and the creative power that arises from tradition.

Intrecciato, first introduced in 1975, was born from the weaving of slender leather strips (fettucce), arranged in precise proportions and typically diagonal patterns. Over fifty years, it evolved into one of the brand’s most recognisable signatures, inspiring countless reinterpretations in various textures, scales and attitudes. Through Destinations, this icon entered a new realm of meaning, seen through the eyes of designers who expanded its possibilities into sculpture, light, ceramics, textiles and architecture.

The exhibition stood as both a tribute to fifty years of Intrecciato and a reminder that weaving, in all its forms, remains a symbol of encounter, unity and creative evolution.