Best place to buy an Italian leather handbag

[celebrity]

Will be stopping in Rome, Salerno, Florence, Venice and Ravenna. I'm not looking at high end like Prada or Fendi, just a quality leather bag. Any suggestions are welcomed.

Thanks

[cruisemom42]

Florence is the traditional center for leather goods in Italy, so my suggestion would be to look for one there.

 

There are some good suggestions in this thread for specific shops and locations: http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/best-places-to-shop-for-leather-handbags-in-florence.cfm

 

One person in the thread suggests Furla, which is a very good, well-known Italian brand. (You can also buy them duty-free in FCO airport in Rome ;))

[slidergirl]

Unless you really don't care about the quality or the use of Chinese sweat shop labor, shop for your bag in the San Lorenzo market. Yea, the bags are "made in Italy, but by Chinese workers in large sweatshop conditions in a section of Italy.

Now, if you don't have a budget, go over to the Scuola del Cuoio behind the Santa Croce church. It is an old leather making school. The bags that they make there are absolutely beautiful, but way over any budget I've ever had. But, I always love to go there and window shop. Back in 2007, I did buy a soft-as-butter black leather jacket there. It still serves me well when the weather turns a bit cool. It was my "happy divorce" present to myself ;)

[kuldalai]

If you want to get "ripped off" then buy a leather bag from any of the over hyped Designer brand shops in the major cities of Italia.

 

For value just buy from the incredible street leather market in Firenze. Just ask the locals how to get there, thats where they shop for Italian leather.

[BaseballMomof4]

There is a leathermaking school in Florence which sells their goods. It is right across from Santa Croce Church. We plan to go there. Support the locals and hopefully get a bit of a bargain.

[cruisemom42]

There is a leathermaking school in Florence which sells their goods. It is right across from Santa Croce Church. We plan to go there. Support the locals and hopefully get a bit of a bargain.

 

I wouldn't plan on finding any bargains there. The prices are quite high, but they reflect the quality of the workmanship.

[Got2Cruise]

Unless you really don't care about the quality or the use of Chinese sweat shop labor, shop for your bag in the San Lorenzo market. Yea, the bags are "made in Italy, but by Chinese workers in large sweatshop conditions in a section of Italy.

 

Now, if you don't have a budget, go over to the Scuola del Cuoio behind the Santa Croce church. It is an old leather making school. The bags that they make there are absolutely beautiful, but way over any budget I've ever had. But, I always love to go there and window shop. Back in 2007, I did buy a soft-as-butter black leather jacket there. It still serves me well when the weather turns a bit cool. It was my "happy divorce" present to myself ;)

 

 

Omg. I bought a handbag in Venice and it was leather, and stamped made in Italy. It is also stylish, but the quality of the leather is not "top Italian". But the prices were reasonable. Now I know why. Lol

[UKBayern]

Sometimes you have to go off the beaten path a bit and just get lucky. I went into this old-fashioned little shop in a backstreet in Rome when I was on a study trip in uni in 1993, and found just the perfect handbag for my mother who had been searching forever. She still uses it until this day. When it needed a new clasp, the expert I brought it to said it was the most beautiful leather he had ever seen and was surprised I had paid only about $ 100. I have been to Rome many times after, but still have no clue where I bought it.

 

My case in point: you will not always get the best leather goods in real touristy areas, but go in a shop away from the crowds. Expect to pay a lot or get second rate quality directly in Venice for example. Florence has the name, but some of the pitfalls have already been discussed. Maybe your chances are actually better in Salerno or Ravenna, because there are also "normal shops for locals" there, although both places are rather small.

[cberge]

I am not into designer bags,but I like good leather ones,and over the years I have bought several at the big department store in Rome. Well made and well priced.

[texancruzer]

My favorite "go to" place is a small store in Rome @ Piazza Navonna right next to the restaurant Panzirone. I have bought numerous leather purses there….. some for me and some were presents for daughter and daughter in law. Also have 2 beautiful wallets from there that dh bought.

 

The store is also a tobacco shop :confused: but works for me.

 

All the purses I have bought there were the "butter soft" type of leather and have held up beautifully. The prices were reasonable (I am a shopper) and I did bargain when I purchased more than one item at a time…….

 

As a side note: I also bought a piece of leather luggage in Florence @ Santa Croce square. But that is another topic I guess :D

[BaseballMomof4]

I wouldn't plan on finding any bargains there. The prices are quite high, but they reflect the quality of the workmanship.

 

In that case I can say that on our last trip I bought several very reasonably priced bags in Sorrento. They were the soft, soft leather and they held up for almost 3 years of daily use.

[celebrity]

Thanks to all for your suggestions. Definitely not looking for knockoffs.

I will check Sorrento and the shop in Piazza Navona as we'll be there before Florence.

I did read several reviews on Trip Advisor for a shop in Florence called Michekangelo which sounds promising.

Thanks again.

[slidergirl]

I wouldn't plan on finding any bargains there. The prices are quite high, but they reflect the quality of the workmanship.

 

The Scuola is like walking through a museum of beautiful handbags behind the glass windows. They do have some reasonable pricing on some of the casual collations. If you are willing to pay 240EU and up, it's worth browsing.

 

I've listed their website of you want to do a bit of "window shopping" beforehand:

 

http://www.scuoladelcuoio.com/home.php

[twin123185]

Furla is reasonable. We "found" them last year in Bologna but there is a store near the bottom of the Spanish Steps. If you are going to Naples while in Salerno my new favorite place is Antonio De Patrizi in a residential neighborhood on Piazza Mercato. They make everything on site and the prices are 1/5 of similar bags from Coach. Very small family operation with a very old fashioned workshop in the back room. It just happened to be two doors away from my hotel.

Edited October 19, 2015 by twin123185