Venice Revival: The Evolution of Romance

In 1991, the inspiration behind the Venice collection was a grand romance, one epitomised by purple-hued skies, glorious gondolas and longing glances between lovers. At the centre of it all, with its treasure chest shape and a golden clasp, the Venice bag is an ode to the Italian city – and Bonia’s enduring spirit of romance and adventure.

Now, almost three decades later, the iconic bag has returned with a new look and meaning. As Bonia continues to evolve as a brand, the re-edition Venice bag represents both our past and our vision for the future – as well as our more modern view of romance.

To celebrate the launch, rather than repeating the same-old love story between a man and a woman, we wanted to take a fresh approach with a campaign shoot that paid tribute to the new romance of the 21st century, self-love and self-empowerment.

In place of models, we gathered ten inspiring young opinion leaders – a diverse group of Malaysian women with a voice and a platform – that we felt represented feminine power, elegance and independence. Alicia Amin, for example, not only commits her time as a model, host and actor, she’s also a passionate advocate for environmental issues.

In light of the many challenges the world has faced this year, the need for self-love and a supportive network of friends has never been more important. That’s one reason the theme of the campaign shoot was so simple – a group of friends at brunch – because there is nothing more empowering or comforting than surrounding yourself with friends and food.

The revival of the Venice is now available in stores and online.