Borse a mano in pelle

High-quality leather handbags are a touch of luxury and quality of life

Careful—these come with a risk of addiction! Leather handbags are the ultimate weakness not only for fashionistas but for anyone who finds it hard to say no to a beautiful accessory—right after shoes. For true handbag lovers, leather handbags are more than just functional items—they're pure shopping pleasure. Leather bags come in as many shapes and styles as the creativity of designers and couturiers allows. From vintage classics to modern pieces, from minimalist to modern understatement, from preppy to shabby chic, from feminine to fully functional in 24/7 style—there’s something for every taste. And men have also discovered leather handbags as stylish accessories. Popular men’s leather bags include messenger bags with a schoolbag aesthetic, spacious shoppers, and the weekender—large, roomy, and perfect for a weekend getaway. Whether for shopping, work, university, school, leisure, travel or as a baby bag—leather handbags are available for every occasion.

Authentic or elegant leather handbags are still crafted with exceptional skill

Leather craftsmanship still involves a great deal of manual work. It takes experience and specialised tools to punch, wash, emboss and refine leather in various ways until it becomes an exclusive leather handbag. Every new bag begins with an idea: what should the bag be able to do? Should it hold a laptop or just a phone? Once the functional purpose is defined, designers select materials, embellishments, shapes and colours—guided by both trends and new innovations. All features are documented using material samples and detailed sketches to create a cutting pattern. The leather handbag components are then carefully cut. The pattern serves as a template and is laid over the chosen material to be cut out or punched. On average, around 50 pieces are grouped and marked so they can be correctly assigned later to parts like the base, handles or sides. The bag takes shape as these pieces are sewn or glued together. Before that, however, it’s especially important with leather to perform edge thinning, a process handled by a specialist known as the leatherworker. Using sharpening knives and specialised machines, the edges of each piece are prepared. Depending on the product, reinforcement materials like leather or cardboard are added to stabilise and shape the bag. Only then is the actual sewing done, by another leather expert—the stitcher. Finally, the bag is refined through finishing touches such as washing, dyeing and embossing. Buckles, zips, eyelets and chains are then added to complete the look and add extra functionality.