Category: Bags

Italy accounts for around 16% of world leather production and over two-thirds of all leather produced in Europe. But what is it about Italian leather that makes it better? Italian leather goes back to the time of the Etruscans who populated the Tuscany region of Italy between Pisa and Florence. Thanks to the considerable availability of raw materials deriving from the slaughter of the cattle raised on the pastures of the coastal depopulated coast, this region became the hub of the leather industry. High-end fashion owes a lot to Italian leather. Leather from Italy – or more specifically from the Tuscan region situated between Pisa and Florence – is so highly valued due to its impeccable quality, and the expert craftsmanship that has been passed down through the generations. It all comes down to the special skills and techniques developed through centuries of experience. The most important part of process is the tanning. The raw hides undergo natural treatments in wood drums. Using vegetable tannins, the hides spend up to three months in water and shadow. The tannins build insoluble complexes with the proteins of animal skins to guarantee the durability of the leather. Such a process gives a typical smell to the Italian leather which is so distinctive and intoxicating that it too has spawned many fragrances including Tom Ford Tuscan Leather and Acqua di Parma’s Colonia Leather. Raw hides are treated with vegetable tannins, natural substances present in bark extracts and organic dyes, inside large wooden drums in a process that takes up to forty days. This authentic technique results in a leather product far superior to those mass-produced using metal-based dyes, not to mention the positive implications for the environment. While you might expect that the appearance of leather will deteriorate over time, Italian leather made using authentic, vegetable-tanned techniques actually gains a unique aesthetic appeal as time goes on. The natural tanning processes used result in an increasingly distinctive look, allowing you to enjoy and timeless product that ages gracefully. No high-end fashion bag collection would, whether Dior, Balenciaga, Salvatore Ferragamo, Prada or Burberry would be complete without the famous Italian leather. Italian leather is used in all the most famous fashion houses and as such it helps to maintain both the quality and durability that can make a handbag not just a fashion statement but also a financial investment.

In 2020 a report was published which showed that designer handbags are now the most profitable investment. Over the past ten years, prices for bags have more than doubled, with a 108 per cent growth recorded. Bringing handbags up to the same lofty levels as rare vintage cars as an investable item. The value of designer handbags has risen by 13 per cent over 12 months. A recent sale of a Hermes Birkin bag fetching $125,000 demonstrated just how great an investment a good designer bag can be. So, what should you be considering when investing in a future classic? Well, right now, classic 90’s bags are seeing a resurgence. The Dior Saddle and the Fendi Baguette have seen a huge increase in popularity pushing used bag prices up higher than ever. The Dior Saddle has seen its average selling price increase by 191% year on year and the Fendi Baguette by 178% year on year. Iconic design mixed with impeccable craftsmanship is clearly the winning combination for an investment bag, but so too is rarity, so don’t be afraid to buy outside the box and choose unusual designs. While Hermes dominates the investment market for bags, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Celine, Mulberry and Gucci are all seeing big market interest for their iconic designs. The Gucci Marmont and the Chanel Boy Bag are both strong investable designs right now. It was reported, by Racked, that all designer bags in box fresh condition can retain 63% of their retail value, however, it’s the rare and limited-edition numbers that increase the most. The next time you are worried about splashing out on a new designer bag know that you are probably choosing to buy something that will give a financial reward for generations to come.

Every woman knows how important it is to have a handbag. A matching handbag to her outfit and shoes. The right handbag; Its almost a status symbol. Many top fashion houses have their own branded handbags and they can be as expensive as a designer outfit. The term handbag is largely associated with women although it is becoming increasingly common for men to carry a version of the bag, either to carry laptops or documents and may be seen as more functional than women’s bags. Interestingly though, the oldest known bag or purse, as it was called then, was worn by a man 5000 years ago. Originally it seems that they were used to carry coins or small items of essential use. Purses were made of soft fabric or leather. They could be worn or carried by both women and men. The sporran as worn with a kilt in Scotland is one survivor of the man’s purse. In many English-speaking countries a purse is still used to refer to a small money bag. Drawstring bags were worn by men over their clothes or around wrists. Women wore the same drawstring bags but for modesty they wore them under their skirts where they acquired the status of underwear. As fashions changed and became shapelier and more slimline, drawstring bags began to show under the clothes making them unacceptable to fashion conscious women. So fashionable ladies started to wear their bags over their clothes and around the waist. This provoked much opposition as it was seen as women wearing their undergarments on show. Thus, the handbag took on a different guise and was seen as something private for women to own and carry, with clasps attached to hide what was inside them. A handbag is often a larger accessory that holds objects beyond currency, such as personal items. American English typically uses the terms purse and handbag interchangeably. The term handbag began appearing in the early 1900s. Initially, it was most often used to refer to men's hand-luggage. Women's bags grew larger and more complex during this period, and the term was attached to the accessory. As fashions have evolved it seems that clothes with pockets, as with men’s trousers and jackets have provided repositories for coins and small items more readily and acceptably than with women’s fashions. Thus, the need has arisen for fashionable and attractive holders of women’s essential items. Bags, then, have taken on their own position in the fashion world. They can be eye wateringly expensive but can also be a sound investment. There is a lively market in second hand designer bags and have been known to actually gain value for the discerning woman who buys well and takes care of her investment.