Buying a briefcase in Italy - where?

April 30, 2012 8:57 AM

Trip to Italy - where is the best location to buy a really nice man's briefcase?

I'm lucky enough to be going to Venice, Rome, Naples, Sorrento, Bologna, Modena, Pompeii, Ravello, Positano, and Capri.

Oh wise ones - which of these (and where within) is the best place to get a nice man's briefcase that is of a style or quality not easily found in the US?

posted by BrooksCooper to Shopping (6 answers total)

Top answer would be Florence, but since you're not going there, the northern cities will probably be better than the southern ones.

Bologna has the big annual leather trade fair; Venice and Rome will have the designer brands, but not as many smaller workshops. (Venice has Il Grifone; there's La Cruella in Gaeta, near Rome.)
posted by holgate at 10:26 AM on April 30, 2012

A lot of the top artisanal leather brands are actually located in Milan. (I'll see if my sister-in-law, who works in the trade, can provide some insider perspective.) Can we assume that you are not looking for the well-known fashion brands (Prada, Gucci, Ferragamo et al), but instead for the more classical master-craftsman genre?
posted by progosk at 1:55 PM on April 30, 2012

Yes, @progosk, the best leather is found in Milan. However, the OP could go to one of the many open aired shops in either Capri or Rome and find a high-quality briefcase.
posted by lotusmish at 3:48 PM on April 30, 2012

Response by poster: @progosk - exactly - I want the opposite of the well known brands. A handmade, artisan thing from a maker unheard of in the US - looks like I'm not going to any of the most likely spots but I'll definitely hit the one in Venice and try the markets in Capri and Roma!
posted by BrooksCooper at 5:29 PM on April 30, 2012

Mazzon Le Borse in Venice might also fit that description, though it's more handbags than briefcases; Francis Model too.
posted by holgate at 7:29 PM on April 30, 2012

based on holgate's answer, I visited il grifone today. ranks among the best advice I've gotten on Italia. craftsmanship is awesome and happens in shop. and we were surprised at how reasonable the prices were. they were comparable to similar products you would get from say Prada , but you meet the designer and you may never see another person with the same belt briefcase or purse. and the gentleman working there was just great.
posted by jander03 at 3:09 PM on April 24, 2013 [1 favorite]