Bulgari Leather, as Fine as Jewels

Bulgari stands as one of the world’s most artful jewellery-makers, and creativity has defined the Italian brand since its founding in 1884. In 2005, the brand expanded to make Bulgari leather goods and accessories.

Applying its intricate craftsmanship and savoir faire to refined leather creations, the emerging collection of stunning handbags pushes the limits of creativity and bold style befitting the Rome-based company.

The precious skins and materials forming the bags are treated with all the reverence of the gems and metals of Bulgari’s jewels. The unique finishes come from secret techniques handed down through generations of artisans.

A lush pearled effect lends spectacular iridescent shine to crocodile skin, while the miniature grains of the rare and difficult-to-treat Galuchat skin evoke the sparkle of diamond pave. Python skin, processed by skilled artisans to preserve its rich luster, gets its spectacular shading from laborious hand painting with complex paint palettes and finishes applied scale by scale.

Forming the bags’ distinctive stud closure is Bulgari’s signature serpent head, made using the traditional wax casting technique—another of the “lost” archival techniques that Bulgari revives in its leatherwork.

The method involves a wax cast that is then melted, leaving spaces to be filled with molten precious metal and set with jewels.

A true ambassador of the brand, the seductive and mysterious snake figure is inspired by the Serpenti jewels of the 1960s. The heritage design is a symbol of perpetual renewal and metamorphosis, having undergone numerous transformations over the years, yet always retaining the undeniable Bulgari DNA.

Each leather piece is crafted at the maison’s Florence atelier, where artisanal methods and classic styles continue to evolve in step with Bulgari’s progressive vision.