LA TROTA
La Trota is more than a private boating experience. It offers a quieter way to discover Venice, where heritage, craftsmanship and understated luxury are inseparable from the lagoon itself.
Founded by Bernhard Hulla, La Trota grew from a deep admiration for Venice’s historic wooden boats and the traditions they embody. Beautifully restored mahogany hulls, polished brass, hand-stitched leather and original fittings speak of a time when every vessel was built to last generations rather than seasons.
Among the most distinctive details is Tela Olona—the remarkably durable cotton canvas that for centuries formed the sails of Venetian working boats. Woven to withstand salt, wind and sun, it carried merchants, explorers and precious cargo across the Adriatic and the wider Mediterranean, becoming one of the quiet foundations of Venice’s maritime prosperity.
Today, that same material finds a new purpose aboard La Trota. Carefully selected Tela Olona is reinterpreted in cushions, deck details and bespoke interior elements, preserving not only a remarkable textile but also the craftsmanship and knowledge that produced it. Every fibre bears the patina of a material shaped by the sea, offering guests a tactile connection with Venice’s maritime heritage.
Projects such as La Trota are especially meaningful to us at Brand Unit because they begin with authenticity. They are founded on genuine passion rather than manufactured narratives. Our role was therefore not to invent a brand story, but to reveal one that already existed.
The editorial identity reflects this philosophy. Restrained typography, generous white space and a palette inspired by polished mahogany and weathered Tela Olona create a refined counterpoint to the changing blue-green tones of the lagoon. Photography focuses on texture, craftsmanship and atmosphere—the grain of timber, the weave of historic canvas, reflections on water and the changing Venetian light.
The result is less a brochure than an invitation into a world where every material has a history and every journey becomes part of it. La Trota’s idea of A Private Suite Upon the Water is ultimately defined not by luxury alone, but by the quiet privilege of experiencing Venice through the craftsmanship that has carried its treasures across the sea for centuries.
