Bottega Veneta is a manufacturer of consumer goods, mainly producing men's and women's glasses. The company is reputed for quality and exclusivity. Bottega Veneta is known for its signature leather goods. The company merged with the Gucci Group in July 2001. Bottega Veneta was launched as a family business of luxury leather accessories in Venice back in 1966, and today designs both a men's and women's ready-to-wear line. German-born Tomas Maier took the helm in 2001 and revived the flagging brand by injecting a more modern feel and reworking the traditional woven leather signature.