Update: the beautiful Liya Kebede joins Karmen Pedaru as the second face for the spring 2012 campaign from Bottega Veneta.

Karmen Pedaru poses against an ocean backdrop for the Bottega Veneta Spring / Summer 2012 campaign lensed by Jack Pierson.

Bottega Veneta may be best known for its leather goods, but the brand’s creative director Tomas Maier has now branched into the realm of music.

Maier has teamed up with Parisian DJ Michel Gaubert on Intreccio Uno, a two-disc compilation album featuring a medley of past runway show and store playlists.

Artists featuring on the eclectic album include French pianist Maxence Cyrin, English rock group The Heavy and Norwegian producer Lindstrøm, whose track “Lovesick” accompanied the Fall/Winter 2010 womenswear show.

International hotel chain Starwood has announced the reopening of a landmark Florence hotel, complete with a suite from top designer label Bottega Veneta.

The St Regis Florence, originally the Grand Hotel Florence, has been treated to a ten-month restoration which has seen significant interior changes to the 18th century palace, ranked among the city’s most significant buildings.

The hotel boasts 81 rooms and 19 suites, decorated by local artisans and including antique furniture such as hand-carved gold leaf frames and crystal chandeliers.

Nine d’Urso is the face of the luxe label Bottega Veneta‘s eponymous perfume in the just-released commercial.

She appears to be madly in love with a shirtless companion, frolicking on a beach in the signature all-American romance of director Bruce Weber.

“The challenge was to picture the soul of a fragrance…Weber possesses a unique and uncanny ability to capture the authentic moment. He sees more than others see, and so produces striking images of innocence and sensuality.”

Bottega Veneta have launched a special keyring for Japan and in particular to help the people struck by the earthquake and tsunami in March 2011.

Designed by Creative Director Tomas Maier, the keyring is made from a hand-woven intrecciato nappa leather and will be available in a run of only 1,000 pieces.

It will be on sale in Bottega Veneta boutiques and on bottegaveneta.com, at a retail price of $210 USD. All proceeds will be donated to the Japanese Red Cross.

Milan is preparing to host its annual men’s fashion show on Saturday, billed as the biggest in the world.

Thirty-six brands including Dolce&Gabbana, Giorgio Armani and Prada are set to take to the catwalks for the four-day fashion festival.

The autumn-winter collection show kicks off on Saturday with top brands including Ermenegildo Zegna, Dolce&Gabbana, Jil Sander and Roberto Cavalli.