Leather Academy

Florence and its region have held a reputation for quality leather production for hundreds of years. However, in the early twentieth century, the Florentine leather industry was propelled to new heights. A Florentine named Guccio Gucci, when working in a series of menial jobs at the Savoy Hotel in London, carried stylish pieces of luggage for wealthy visitors. When Gucci returned home to Florence in 1921, he refocused his family on designing fine leather luggage and accessories for a wealthy international clientele. He soon brought the leather goods of his native city to international fame as one of the most recognized names in the fashion world. His legacy lives on, as Florence has kept the production of luxury leather items as one of its most recognized activities, thanks to the attentive job of its world-class Master Artisans.