As long as Florence has existed, its leather industry has been internationally renowned. In medieval times, leather makers established Arti—essentially trade guilds—to safeguard their crafts and their secret processes. Today, the city is a center of Italian artisanship that specializes in bags, shoes, and other leather goods. Whether you’re looking for an elegant shoulder bag or a practical briefcase, you can find the highest-quality, handmade, florence leather bags.
There are many leather shops and markets throughout the city, but one of the most popular is the Mercato Centrale (also known as San Lorenzo Market). The marketplace was built during the Renaissance to house a variety of shops and vendors—from high-end boutiques to raucous street bazaars. But the real draw of this shopping complex is its collection of artisanal leather goods.
The quality of the florence leather bags varies widely between different retailers and stalls. You’ll sometimes see the same item sold at a luxury boutique and in a market stall for drastically different prices. The reason is that some leather goods are made on an industrial scale while others—like the bags and jackets at a Pellini workshop—are crafted on an artisanal level.
The best way to know you’re buying top-grain leather is to smell it. It should have a musky, natural scent. If the odor is more like paint, chances are that what you’re buying isn’t real leather. Another clue is to look at the label—if it’s labeled simipelle or ecopelle, it’s not 100% leather. florence leather bags