Handbags

CLASSICS NEVER GO OUT OF STYLE. MEDIUM-SIZED: NOT TOO BIG, NOT TOO SMALL. DISCRETE, STURDY, AND PRACTICAL.

With or without handles, carried under the arm or in your hand… No matter their style, handbags are designed to be opened in the blink of an eye so that you can grab whatever you need. They are completely versatile and they complement any attire, morning to evening, whatever your shape is.

In the world of vintage handbags you can find a wide range of leathers and finishes whose purpose is to provide the highest quality and sophistication.

Today, exotic skins are often associated with luxury products. However, between 1920 and 1940, they were really fashionable and they were used for mass production. This was due to the fact that, during World War I, traditional skins such as cowhide, goatskin, calfskin, and lambskin were scarce since their use was reserved to the military. Designers had to look for other materials, and reptile leather was abundant. As a result, bags made in all kinds of leathers appeared: tortoise, crocodile, lizard, ostrich, and eel skin. Taxidermy was often employed to make use of claws, tails and other animal parts as ornaments. Depending on the portion of the animal that was used, the skin had different sizes and textures. As a result, even if bags were mass-produced, each piece had a really unique look.

Tissues were also very popular at that time since they were sturdy, easy to manipulate, and available. Velvet, canvas, and raffia were often used to create bags, offering great support for beads and stones, Petit Point embroidery, or upholstery. Metal mesh, of military origin, was a tissue in itself.

In the 50’s, other alternative materials to leather began to appear, such as plastic and synthetic leathers. These modified textile materials made it possible to imitate animal skin, reproducing even very appealing finishes such as patent leather at lower cost.