Handmade in San Carlo di Cesena, Italy, Campomaggi leather accessories are not meant to look perfect - they're intentionally imperfect, each bag undergoing a patented manufacturing process where they're washed, dyed and distressed after they're put together, not before. So rather than distressing unassembled pieces, then matching like-colors and making a "perfect" color-matched bag, they distress the bags after they're made. And because each animal skin is different in the way it absorbs color, stretches and shrinks, the bags come out with varying colors, shades, textures and degrees of "aging". Each piece is literally a one-of-a-kind creation, and no two are alike. Campomaggi's distressing process is patented, and they use only the finest 100% Italian full-grain Vachetta leathers. The build quality is superb, the scent of the leather is intoxicating, the feel is sublime, and they look as if they were born long before you and may just outlive you.
How We Got Here...
Ironically, we discovered the leather creations of Marco Campomaggi not while traveling in Italy but in a tiny shop on Rue Montmartre in Paris, back in 2014. We saw one of his crossbody bags in a store window and couldn't get through the door to see it fast enough. The distressed appearance, the thickness and quality of the leather, the beauty of the hand-hammered metalwork were all things we could see through the window but it wasn't until we actually had it in our hands that we could take in that incredible, redolent scent that Campomaggi leather is known for.
What we thought was just one fun purchase in Paris turned into much more, including partnering with Campomaggi for Bellarri customer rewards and promotions (which we still do on occasion) and now offering a small selection of their creations at deep discounts (just like our Bellarri!).
Because they use full-grain leather, with a gorgeous aged-vintage look, Campomaggi doesn't try to avoid distinct markings and unusual characteristics - if the marks were in the leather, they'll be on your Campomaggi. Their goal is to create a unique, organic, and "imperfect" bag that you won't be afraid to carry in all kinds of weather, in all kinds of environments.
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Click any of the adjacent photos, or the Campomaggi logo above, to visit the Campomaggi website and learn more about this amazing group of Italian artisans.
About Campomaggi...
About Caterina Lucchi...
Caterina Lucchi just happens to be married to Marco Campomaggi, but she's been designing her own handcrafted Italian leather accessories since 1986. The workmanship is superb and her "mixed media" style of combining different materials to create exotic handbags sets her apart from most other designers. Whereas many of Marco Campomaggi's designs focus on a rugged, distressed, "well-traveled" unisex style that can be worn by both men and women, Caterina Lucchi's bags boast more of a feminine flair with tassels and sequins and sparkles and nature-inspired patterns with a certain quirkiness we really love. The price points are similar - Caterina Lucchi's handbags start at a retail price around $350 and go up to $800, while many of Marco Campomaggi's creations exceed $1000, but for the most part if your budget is comfortable with a Campomaggi it will feel right at home with the cost of a Lucchi. We invite you to give her wallets and handbags a closer look, for something different at the same great discounted prices we feature for our Bellarri jewelry, Michele watches and Campomaggi leather bags.
