Italian Handbags Have A Long And Rich History

Quality handcrafted Italian handbags have a long and rich history, have been much admired for centuries. During the twelfth century, Italian handbags were used by royalty and those in high society. The Parisian court sourced its bags and purses principally from the skilful artisans in Italy. Documents still exist which confirm very extravagant and luxurious purses were sourced from Italy. These incredible bags were embellished with gold, precious stones, enamels and silver. Many ancient examples are on show in museums in Europe.

The bag-making industry in Italy can be traced back to the twelfth century. Ancient records of different guilds for arts and crafts include:

·         Arti Minori (the lesser crafts)

·         Cuoiai e Galigai (leatherworker)

·         Arte dei Lavoratori del Cuoio (Leatherworkers’ Guild).

·         Correggiai (military leatherworkers)

·         Sellai (saddlers)

·         Calzolai (shoemakers).

Some of the finest tanneries in Italy were established in this very early period. Cow and buffalo were the most common hides used but more refined skins such as chamois and calf skin also found.

Practically every city in Italy had its own quarter of bag-makers; Tuscany, Venice, Pistoia, Siena and Pisa all had craftsmen who made the best Italian handbags.  The craftsmen who created these excellent Italian handbags were called bolzieri.

The cities who housed these craftsmen flourished. Every city in Italy where trade and commerce have flourished have had their own quarter or street of bag-makers (Via dei Borsai). The extraordinary artisans who worked there gave Italian handbags, made in Italy, such a respectable reputation which has lasting throughout time.

One city that was particularly famed for their exceptional Italian handbags was Venice. Venice was an industrial city and its highly skilled artisans made bags of all shapes and sizes, planned for countless uses, made in leather or in rich cloth such as  velvet, damask and silk; adorned with jewels, pearls, embroidery, lace etc.

The first bags were developed to hold money securely and were undoubtedly made of leather (the word for handbags, borsai, derives from the Greek byrsa which means leather). The bags of this period were called scarselle and were worn around the neck or at the waist. Many scarselle were lavishly ornamented and it is these that made the craftsmen in Italy very famous.

 The bisacce were also popular at this time and were used for travel. Knitted bags   were also used in the medieval period and were often embroidered with the family crest or had the professional guild’s coat of arms inscribed on them.

The Renaissance era of the sixteenth century brought about a worldwide trade in bags. Bags from both Italy and France became popular especially from the cities of Florence, Paris, Venice, Tuscany and Ferrara. The Italian handbags of this period   were well bedecked with ribbons, fringes, lace, bows and precious stones; and a trend were often made from more extravagant materials such as velvet, brocade, and satin etc. but leather was still used a great deal.

The style of Italian handbags started to change and the most popular type of bags included: the cartella  - an improvement on the medieval scarsella because it was more spacious and had a knife pocket;  the brachetta -  a bag worn by men, as a codpiece over their pants, where there was room to keep money and a handkerchief; the borsa da matrimonio - a bag filled with money as a wedding gift to the bride and groom

Another type of bag which became popular during the fifteenth century, especially in Venice was the manicotti or the muff. This was a forerunner of contemporary Italian handbags. The manicotti was cylindrical in shape, and was lined with fur. It was used to keep hands and arms warm. It had inside pockets to hold small objects and money.

In the later part of the eighteenth century, bags began to lose popularity and were used less often. It was not until after the French Revolution, that resurgence in popularity occurred. The barilotti, bags worn on the arm, became the popular style. These bags were similar to the manicotti, the Italian handbags popular in fifteenth century Venice.

With the rise of the bourgeois in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Europe saw   a new demand for Italian handbags with high society women wanting better and more extravagant purses.

By the end of the nineteenth century, Italian handbags were well entrenched in the fashion scene.  Bags were now seen as an everyday item worn not only as a fashion symbol and a sign of wealth, but as functional pieces. The design of bags became more practical, more comfortable and roomier; and could be made in leather or fabric, and were elaborately decorated and very elegant.

At the end of the First World War, the fashion industry took on a whole new significance and was blooming. The first fashion houses of the world were established and thanks to names like Gucci and Gherardini Italian handbags became bigger and better.  Bags now complemented other fashion accessories and were designed to be worn for specific occasions and different times of day.

Pochettes became the popular style of the day and the muff came back into fashion, made in either velvet or pony-skin.  However due to the war, there was a shortage of materials and a drive to find alternative materials to make bags from was led by the artisans in Italy. Fashionable Italian handbags started to be made from imitation alternatives through to precious materials. Materials such as imitation leather, dentice (a type of sea bream), rospo (toad), hemp, linen and silk were all being used in the manufacture of Italian handbags. Metallic hardware and decorations, snap fasteners and zips were used to embellish the design.

After the Second World War, Italian handbags were in even more demand.  As technology and transport grew, Italian handbags became more accessible worldwide.  Made in Italy, is among the most sought after fashion labels.

.

The leather traditions used to make Italian handbags have stood the test of time and are prospering still. The mysteries that marks Italian handbags as different have been handed down from generation to generation within families. This handover of skills from father to son helps to retain the old traditions that this craft offers.

Fashions and tastes might have changed during the course of the centuries but the refined workmanship and techniques that go into making quality Italian handbags remain the same. Craftsmen in Italy work as a team - one personally cuts out the leather, others colour it, and yet others stitch it to produce the most amazing Italian handbags which last a lifetime.

I love my Italian handbags. This tradition full of history and mystique is why made in Italy bags are so loved and desired. To see my lovely range of Italian Handbags click here.