Walking through Florence

Florence: Home to Dante, Giotto, and Real Italian Leather

By Eric Vazquez

I don’t eat much meat these days. It’s not a political statement, and I’m not trying to save all the furry critters. I’ve just seen one too many Netflix documentaries. So our trip to the ‘Leonardo’ leather store in Florence, sparked zero guilt or remorse for the cattle whose dried and stretched hides made Florentine retail smell so wonderful.

I love to learn. In fact, since I’m a U.S. citizen and America is not a Scandinavian country, I pay to learn. So when I walk in a store and the employees can give me a short enthusiastic lesson about a product’s origins and the manufacturing process, I’m more likely to unlace my imaginary boxing gloves so my hands fit when I try to reach into my pockets.

One of the ‘Leonardo’ leather makers stood on a raised platform. Surrounded by tools that looked like they belonged in the Renaissance wing of the Yale Art Gallery, he took 10 minutes off from his work to demonstrate the methods of leather designing that ‘Leonardo’ has used since their inception. He gave us a history lesson too...

Florence in the Renaissance was one of the richest cities in Europe, and the Medicis were one of its richest and most powerful families. Katarina de Medici, before moving to Paris to marry Henry II making her Queen of France, was given a box comprised entirely of leather as a gift. The box was virtually indestructible and yet contained no hinges, zippers, glue, wood, or metals, to keep its shape. It had an insignia of a flower symbolizing the beauty of Florence, while its singular sturdiness represented the power of Florence. It was just Italian leather, and yet it sent a powerful message to France: ‘We are pretty, but we are strong.’

Wet cowhide can take the shape of anything, and natural dyes and paraffin wax are added to make the surface shine. The only thing that the ‘Leonardo’ company has changed from the original leather making process of the Renaissance Era, is the addition of gold leaf decoration. Initially there was so much waste of gold, but over time they have invented ways to minimize waste. With heat and pressure they can imprint any gold designs imaginable. The actual factory lays now between Pisa and Florence, because of the noise that is made during production.

The most valuable lesson I learned as a consumer in Florence, was how to recognize genuine leather. It’s not by the smell. This comes from the combination of treatments of dyes and wax. Some say you can scratch leather to make sure it’s real… hmm, try doing that in a store to every leather looking product and you might get arrested. The flame test? A vendor can pull out a lighter and quickly pass it back and forth over their product and say, “See it doesn’t burn, that means it’s not plastic or polyester.” They can pass that same flame quickly under their hand and it won’t burn, however, we know that skin burns. The suede is the proof. Suede on the back of the leather surface is unmistakable, however, lining will hide that. So unfortunately the only way to know for sure, is to look for the tag that says, “100% Italian Leather” and take it at face value. Each piece of leather is unique, so seeing a flaw or inconsistencies from one leather jacket  to another on the same rack, tells you they are most likely real.

It’s this kind of authenticity that seems to be a common staple in Florence. Keeping touch with tradition is not always the easiest or cheapest way of doing business, yet around every corner in Florence there is a family owned shop selling something they’ve sold for years, and they all seemingly refuse to compromise. Maybe that’s why it’s so easy to shop here and contribute to the Florentine economy. I feel like what I’m buying took someone’s lifetime to master, and in turn the product could last me mine.  

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Florence: a magical city

By Guerlita Alphonse

Florence is the city of Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Dante, and Machiavelli. It was in this city that they learned how to create, paint, and sculpt statutes. There are many magnificent buildings in Florence. Everywhere you turn, you have the opportunity to admire amazing church structures and fountains. An example of one such structure is the dome of the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in the plaza of the Duomo. It was built by the 14th century architect named Filippo Brunelleschi. He named the building Maria di Fiore in honor of the angel who announced to the virgin Mary that she would give birth to a child. The word Fiore or Flower  related to Jesus growing inside of her. Upon its completion, Filippo Brunelleschi requested that his remains be buried at the cathedral. As we walked through the city, we saw the house where Michelangelo was born. Some claim that he died in Rome painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and that his remains are at the Vatican. However, we learned that his nephew Leonard had ordered his remains to be shipped secretly back to Florence to be close to his family. As we continued on our walking tour we learned many fun facts about the city; however, none was more surprising than discovering the origins of the modern day ambulance service. Across from the cathedral of Santa Maria, is the home of the 1st ambulance community service. Paintings adorn the building displaying a human ambulance: a good samaritan carrying an ailing stranger to medical services. It was from this tradition that the ambulances came to be.