LUXE Loves is the regular feature where we spotlight our all-time favourite places in the world. From spiff boutique stays to the finest diners, dapper drinkers and swooniest shops… welcome to the crème of our curated cohort.
What:
Spanking handmade bag brand, Digerolamo
Where:
A stone’s throw from Florence’s Piazza di Santa Maria Novella
Why we love it:
While she’s globally renowned as the birthplace of some of the world’s most illustrious fashion houses (ciao Gucci, Pucci, Ferragamo, Cavalli), Flo’s heritage for boutique craftsmanship runs deep – as does that of local artisan leatherware brand Digerolamo’s founder, Maria Clara Soto, whose maternal ancestors were Italian leather workers, cobblers and jewelers.
In stark contrast to the High Street’s ‘right here, right now’ ethos, globally raised and educated Soto employs time-honoured methods to create and handcraft her ‘slow fashion’ handbags. Thankfully sidestepping the old-fashioned aesthetic that can often go hand in hand with anything ‘traditional’, she instead infuses her designs with bohemian vibes and modern sensibilities, along with the classic elegance and painstaking attention to detail synonymous with the region’s artisan wares.
But, if laying hands on a consummately stylish sac from Digerolamo’s concise collection (currently spanning just four RTW, but customisable, styles) isn’t enough reason to whip your purse out, here’s another… Soto is committed to sustainability, and thus all her pieces are crafted using only vegetable tanned Vachetta leather free of chemicals and other nasties, so you can rest easy knowing your favourite new accessory is eco-friendly and chic.
Viva Digerolamo! Via del Moro, 58/R, Santa Maria Novella, Florence +39 055 229 8378
For more fabulous Florence shops…
