Bologna leather-goods house founded in 1927 by Aldo and Margherita Furlanetto. It pivoted from wholesale apparel to leather goods in 1955, opening its first store on Via Ugo Bassi; Aldo's children Paolo, Carlo and Giovanna later expanded the line into bags, footwear and accessories in the 1970s.
Best for Everyday leather bags and the Metropolis.
Furla was founded in Bologna in 1927 by Aldo and Margherita Furlanetto as a small wholesale distributor of apparel and accessories. Aldo redirected the business toward leather goods in 1955, closing the wholesale operation and opening the brand's first dedicated store on Via Ugo Bassi in Bologna. Aldo's children - Paolo, Carlo and Giovanna Furlanetto - took over the company and, through the 1970s, broadened its range beyond bags into footwear and small leather accessories. The house's handbags, marked by bold color combinations and stamped animal prints, became its best-known category, positioning Furla within Italy's 'accessible luxury' segment.
Mandarina Duck was founded in Bologna in 1977 by Paolo Trento and Pietro Mannato, developing colourful bags around practical use. Its Utility line introduced rubberised material into an approach that also shaped the house's luggage and travel accessories. The range now includes backpacks and handbags alongside smaller bags in several collections, suited to different carrying needs.
Best for Bags, backpacks and luggage in varied colours
Mandarina Duck began in Bologna in 1977, founded by Paolo Trento and Pietro Mannato with bags designed around everyday movement. Its early Utility line used rubberised material and colour as alternatives to the more formal language of conventional leather goods. Lightness and function were central to the approach, rather than treating a bag simply as a decorative accessory.
The name comes from the mandarin duck, linking the brand's identity to colour and travel from the beginning. That idea carried through to luggage as well as bags for work or ordinary movement around a city. Utility remains part of the brand's own account of its history and appears among the collections in its catalogue.
Today's online categories include backpacks and handbags, with smaller bags and other accessories available alongside the travel offer. Those formats serve different purposes; comparing dimensions and carrying style helps narrow down the choice for a particular use. Utility's rubberised material offers one starting point for that comparison within a catalogue organised into several distinct bag collections.
Italian leather goods house founded in Bologna in 1987 by engineering student Marco Palmieri; launched its own label in 1998 and now manufactures from its factory in Gaggio Montano, in the Bologna Apennines.
Best for Smart briefcases and travel leather.
Piquadro was founded in Bologna in 1987 by Marco Palmieri, then a 22-year-old engineering student, initially producing leather goods for other brands. In 1998 the company launched its own label, a play on 'P squared,' referencing both Palmieri and pelletterie, Italian for leather goods. The brand opened its first store in Milan in 2000 and grew into a listed company (public in 2007). Its production base is in Gaggio Montano, an Apennine town south of Bologna. In 2018 Piquadro acquired the French leather house Lancel and the Italian brand The Bridge.
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