Nelle Dolomiti
This was our biggest trip of the year. We had 2000 km ahead of us, 4 days, 3 overnight stays… and about 20 outfits that had to be safely packed into the trunk. The goal? Lanificio Bottoli and a few other matters we had to handle in the nearby Dolomites.
We’ll spare you the tiniest details of the route, but we’re leaving you with a map and Tomek’s playlist, which accompanied the team - Tomek, Mateusz, and Grzegorz (photographer) - throughout the journey!
We had to drive through Poland, the Czech Republic - with an obligatory stop for Kofola! - and Austria, before we had finally crossed the Italian border.
We’ve mentioned many times that we try to personally visit our suppliers and manufacturers we work with; even this year, we have already published a report here on the blog about our trip to Donegal and our visit to the Magee weaving mill. Traveling “to the source” is not only a way to nurture (and deepen) business relationships but also a way to better understand the raw material we work with. Nature and landscape influence the look and feel of fabrics - not just historically! - and the circumstances of their creation can add a touch of magic. Especially when there are personal memories attached to them.
There will be time to tell the story of the Dolomites themselves (and Tomek’s connection with these mountains); for now, we’ll set the mood with a tale of the other places we visited there, nearly all of which will get their own elaboration. Here we go!
First, duties; then, pleasures other duties - with this motto, we planned the trip so that we started with the weaving mill and then moved on to other matters.
So, on the first day, by evening, we arrived in Vittorio Veneto - a charmingly situated town in the province of Treviso (yes, the one famous for prosecco). It’s a small town with just about 30,000 inhabitants but a history dating back to the 1st century BCE and the times of the Roman Empire. Its beautiful medieval center, built during the Venetian Republic, clearly communicates you are in Italy... which isn’t always so obvious in this part of the country!
The current chapter of its history began in 1866, when Ceneda and Serravale merged into one city named Vittorio (the “Veneto” part was officially added in 1923) in honor of King Vittorio Emanuele II, who had initiated the unification of Italy just seven years earlier and annexed the territories belonging to Venice in that same year of 1866.
Among other significant events is the Italian army’s victory at the Battle of Vittorio Veneto, which ended World War I on the Italian front and sealed the collapse of Austria-Hungary...
…but for us, the most important part of its history is not related to the military but to the wool industry, which has been active in the area for centuries. While many associate this industry primarily with the Italian town of Biella, much farther west in Piedmont, the Veneto region has nothing to be ashamed of either.
More on this in Part II of our report, dedicated to the visit to the Bottoli weaving mill.
Of course, we couldn’t resist a few scenic-photo stops along the way! We were already entering the real mountains - the Dolomites - with every bend and steep climb of the winding roads revealing more stunning landscapes and wider perspectives.
We also took a quick reconnaissance trip to Passo Giau - one of the most beautiful passes in this part of Italy, with a peak at 2236 m above sea level.
At this time of year, already long past the summer season but not yet into the ski season, most mountain huts were closed. This meant we had to descend a bit lower for the night. Our accommodation was in the tiny mountain village of Palue, which is technically part of Sottoguda.
We were pleasantly surprised upon arrival by the traditional alpine chalets that made up most of the village. Apparently, Antico Borgo Palue is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, often awarded such titles. Guess we weren’t surprised!
Sottoguda itself, even in the centro storico, is the kind of place that feels pretty much dead off-season. Not a soul outside, only one restaurant open, and at entirely random hours (fortunately for us, operating when it theoretically shouldn’t). Inside, only locals; it was obvious from afar that we weren’t from around there. Luckily, with a glass of Birra Dolomiti in hand, we somehow blended into the surroundings!
Oh, and just for the sake of historical accuracy: the food here is far removed from the typical notions of Italy. It’s about heavy sauces and stews (often game-based), butter instead of olive oil, polenta and canederli (knödel) **instead of pasta. The only sign that confirms you’re still in Italy and not yet in Austria is that you can still get pizza practically everywhere…
The next day began with shopping at a local store and preparing provisions - we had a looooong afternoon ahead of us, with ambitious plans. First: shooting lookbook at Passo Giau. Second: hiking to Rifugio Averau.
We’ve gathered enough photo documentation - and memories! - for another full feature. Look out for Part III and Part IV of the report on the blog, which will respectively focus on winter outfits, photographed in a staged outdoor “studio,” and the mini-mountain expedition we embarked on after the session.
In the meantime, we celebrated the last evening with a slightly more formal outing, during which we (finally) dressed up in suits. We awaited the twilight at Lake Dobbiaco, very close to the Austrian border. This is where the final photos of our trip were taken as the goal was achieved!
Thus ended the Italian chapter of our journey - leaving just a short drive to the final overnight stay in Austria and, the next day, an early start for the long drive back to Poland.
And that’s it. Greetings from the Dolomites - wait for the next parts of our report!