Luxury Leather Guide: Knowing About Luxury Materials
Leather goods go hand-in-hand with luxury brands. From handbags, wallets, and accessories, for their craftsmanship and quality materials.
This guide will cover the types of luxury leather you’ll often see, including saffiano, smooth, and pebbled.
But first, let’s see how luxury leather is made.
Making luxury leather
Any type of leather item is made from the hide or skin of any animal. Surprisingly, or not, many top luxury bag brands have artisans in Italy or France.
Both locations have renowned leather-making craftsmanship. Italy is known for vegetable leather tanning for a rich color and a supple feeling. Over time, the leather will have a unique patina over time.
France is also known for vegetable tanning, but also for chrome tanning for a smoother and more consistent finish.
Common luxury leather types
Natural Leather
Natural leather is commonly seen as trim or an untanned leather that will have a unique patina over time.
It’s beautiful, but it is delicate as it’s prone to water stains and scratches.
You will most commonly see natural leather as:
- Louis Vuitton’s Vachetta leather trims
- Loewe Puzzle Bag
Smooth Leather
Smooth leather has a very supple feeling, very soft. Matte lambskin and glossy box calfskin are great examples of it.
Common luxury smooth leather you’ll see is:
- Hermes Birkin and Kelly (Box leather)
- Celine Box Bag
- Loewe Flamenco
- Bottega Veneta's Jodie
Quilted Leather
Quilted leather is when leather is stitched into a pattern, usually a diamond or a grid, with a form or fabric padding between the layers. It creates a unique texture and looks for the bag.
Signature quilted patterns have become synonymous with particular brands and their bags, like:
- Chanel’s Diamond Quilting on the Chanel Classic Flap
- Christian Dior’s Cannage quilting on the Christian Dior Lady Dior
Embossed Leather
Embossed leather is a stamped pattern that creates a unique, textured finish.
Popular embossed leather includes:
- Louis Vuitton Epi Leather
- Hermes Epsom Leather
- Prada Saffiano Leather on their Galleria bags
- Chanel Caviar Leather
Embossed leather can also be used to mimic crocodile and snakeskin leather.
Patent Leather
Patent leather is usually made from calf or goat skin with a shiny coating on top.
The most common patent leather you will see is Louis Vuitton Monogram Vernis.
Suede and nubuck
Suede and nubuck are both soft, napped leathers. Suede comes from a fibrous, lower layer that results in a softer, fluffier, more delicate leather. But it is more prone to wear and water damage.
Nubuck is made from the outer layer of an animal hide that’s finely sanded for a softer and velvety texture. It is stronger and more durable than suede.
Exotic skins and furs
They are from animals that are not commonly seen, such as alligators, crocodiles, pythons, ostriches, snakeskins, lizard skin, and mink fur.
They tend to be more expensive because of their rarity and specialized processing.
Signature leathers from luxury brands
Each luxury brand has its signature leather that defines its aesthetic and reputation. So let’s have a closer look.
Louis Vuitton leather
Louis Vuitton probably has the most signature leather patterns, which include:
- Vachetta Leather: It is an untreated cowhide that will have a unique patina over time. Seen on their handles and trims on their monogram items. But it is prone to water damage and stains.
- Monogram Empreinte Leather: It is their monogram pattern that’s been embossed on top of a soft, supple calfskin leather. It’s durable, lightweight, and has a soft, luxurious feel.
- Epi Leather: Another embossed leather that has a distinctive textured grain, resembling wheat fields or a wave. It’s water- and scratch-resistant and comes in many different colors.
- Monogram Vernis Leather: A shiny, patent-like leather with the LV monogram embossed on it. It has a glossy varnish with a high-shine finish. It’s very resistant to scratches, but susceptible to color transfer and dents.
You can also check out: ALL Louis Vuitton Patterns EXPLAINED
Chanel leather
Chanel has a couple of signature leathers, which include:
- Caviar leather: A textured calfskin leather that has a pebbled embossed texture. The leather itself is scratch-resistant.
- Lambskin leather: Known for its ultra-buttery, soft, smooth texture. Very supple to the touch with a refined look that elevates any handbag. But it’s very delicate and is susceptible to scratches.
Hermes leather
Hermes is the luxury brand that’s known to be very exclusive, including their leather.
- Box Leather: Smooth and glossy with a refined appearance that will patina over time. It’s very delicate, and it is prone to scratches. Mostly seen on their Kelly and Birkin bags.
- Clemence leather: Made from bull-calf leather with a very soft and supple texture. It has a unique grain finish and has a slouchy appearance.
- Epsom leather: An embossed grain leather that’s sturdy and well-structured to keep the handbag in its shape. Very water- and scratch-resistant.
In closing
While it can be difficult to memorize all the luxury leather out there, knowing what these are will help you understand the texture and feel of many handbags and leather items.
Not sure what leather handbag you want? WeeklyLuxDrop can help you! Contact us or email us at info@weeklyluxdrop.com.