The Ciao Ciao is one of those Bottega Veneta bags that looks almost too simple at first. No oversized logo, no full Intrecciato body, nothing particularly loud. But the longer I look at it, the more I understand why it attracted so much attention when it arrived with the Summer 2025 collection.
What caught my eye was actually the contrast. The body is smooth, almost minimal calfskin, then Bottega places that braided leather strap and sculptural brass knot right across the front. It feels familiar because the knot immediately recalls the Andiamo, but the overall bag is softer and slightly more old-fashioned. Almost like a classic leather top-handle bag that has been loosened up a little.
And perhaps that is the Ciao Ciao’s biggest strength. It doesn’t scream “new season bag,” which may be exactly why it has aged rather well.
So what makes it different from an Andiamo?
This comparison is almost unavoidable.
The Andiamo puts Intrecciato front and center, whereas the Ciao Ciao lets smooth calfskin do most of the work. Personally, I find the Ciao Ciao quieter. There is still enough Bottega identity in the knot hardware and braided strap, but someone who doesn’t follow handbags could probably walk straight past it.
I quite like that.
The shape is also interesting because it sits somewhere between structured and slouchy. The flap gives the front a formal look, yet the soft calfskin prevents it from becoming another rigid “lady bag.” Once filled, the sides relax and the silhouette becomes noticeably more casual.
Then there are the carrying options. Depending on the size, there is a top handle, the braided shoulder-carry system and an adjustable crossbody strap. That flexibility sounds like a small thing on paper, but in actual daily use it is probably one of the main reasons to choose this over prettier but less adaptable Bottega styles.
The regular Ciao Ciao also has a compartmented suede-lined interior with a zip pocket, rather than simply being one giant leather cavity. I usually dislike bags that require a pouch for absolutely everything, so this feels unusually sensible for Bottega.
Which size would I actually choose?
The Small measures roughly 26 × 19 × 10.5 cm. It is still large enough to look like a proper handbag rather than a mini bag, and to my eye it has the nicest proportions. The body looks compact while the knot hardware remains prominent.
The regular Ciao Ciao is around 34 cm wide and roughly 24–26 cm high, with about 15 cm of depth. This is where the bag starts becoming genuinely useful for long days. A fashion editor who carried one throughout New York Fashion Week praised how much she could stuff inside and how many different ways she could carry it, although her older MacBook Pro still wouldn’t fit comfortably.
Then there is the Large at approximately 41.5 × 32 × 14.5 cm. It can accommodate a 16-inch laptop according to product information circulating for the model, so this is the version that starts making sense as a real work or travel bag.
But there is an obvious problem. Leather plus laptop plus charger plus water bottle can become very heavy very quickly. That exact concern appears repeatedly in handbag communities, and I think it is worth taking seriously. A huge luxury leather tote sounds wonderfully practical until you are carrying five or six kilograms on one shoulder…
For most people, I suspect the Small or regular size is the sweet spot.
And then we get to the price…
This is where my enthusiasm cools down a little.
The most recent official U.S. listings indexed from Bottega Veneta showed the Small Ciao Ciao at $4,900 and the regular Ciao Ciao at $6,200. The Large has appeared around the $9,000 level, with current multi-brand listings reaching roughly $9,200.
Interestingly, as of August 2026, Bottega Veneta’s U.S. Ciao Ciao family page still exists, but the Ciao Ciao is not currently appearing prominently in the main U.S. women’s bag assortment. So I would be careful about treating every third-party price online as a current official U.S. MSRP.
Still, even $4,900 for the Small is serious money.
At that level I would start comparing it not only with another Bottega, but with bags from Loewe, The Row, Saint Laurent and even the pre-owned Hermès market. Suddenly “beautiful leather and a clever strap” has to work rather hard to justify itself.
The strange little flaw owners keep mentioning
The front flap looks elegant. Using it may be another story.
The bag closes with a relatively discreet hook underneath the flap, and multiple people who tried the Ciao Ciao have complained that fastening it feels more fiddly than expected. PurseForum discussions repeatedly mention the closure as the detail that gave potential buyers pause.
I can understand why.
A bag designed around movement, multiple carry options and everyday versatility really should open and close without requiring concentration. If I had to choose one detail that feels over-designed, this would be it.
On the other hand, durability feedback has been surprisingly encouraging. One Reddit owner said the smooth leather still looked excellent after a month that included extensive walking and even being compressed into carry-on luggage. That caught my attention because smooth calfskin often looks more delicate than Intrecciato at first glance.
So maybe the Ciao Ciao is tougher than its polished appearance suggests.
Who does this bag actually make sense for?
I would choose it for someone who loves the Andiamo idea but doesn’t necessarily want an entire bag covered in woven leather.
It also works particularly well if you want one expensive bag to move between polished workwear, denim, coats and slightly dressier outfits. Black is probably the safest choice, but Fondant is the color that makes the leather look richest to me. Barolo gives the design a little more personality without turning it seasonal.
Would I buy the Large purely as a laptop bag? Probably not. Too much expensive calfskin, too much potential weight.
The Small is another story. Its proportions are elegant, the brass knot gives it just enough jewelry, and the design doesn’t already feel trapped in 2025.
My final impression
The Ciao Ciao may actually be one of Bottega Veneta’s more convincing recent everyday bags, although strangely it never became as instantly recognizable as the Jodie or Andiamo.
Maybe that is part of the appeal.
It is discreet without being anonymous, practical without looking like a work tote, and distinctive without depending completely on Intrecciato. The leather appears to wear better than I initially expected, too.
The closure annoys me, and the price is difficult to ignore. At $6,000-plus for the regular size, I would have to genuinely love the silhouette rather than simply think it is “nice.”
But among Bottega bags I could imagine still looking elegant years from now? The Ciao Ciao would be fairly high on my list.
Perhaps the name was more appropriate than it first sounded. It arrived saying hello rather quietly—and even when Bottega eventually moves on to something else, I’m not sure this design will disappear quite so easily.