Picture this: a late afternoon roaming the acreage of your family’s Tuscan winery.
This rural land has nourished generations, through gardening, animal husbandry and now, the art of artisanal viniculture. The air is heady with the aroma of fermenting grapes and fresh-cut grass, a scent somehow more potent and nostalgic than the liquor of its origin. Tucked within this natural bouquet is the warm scent of vegetable tanned leather simmering nearby in a tub of wine. This is the heritage and process of designer Tommaso Cecchi de’ Rossi – and the best way to peek into his unique approach to leather goods.
Described as a “restless engineer,” Tommaso moved back to his family’s Tuscan vineyard to pursue his craft after studying agriculture in Florence and a high-profile career in the US. Merging the interests of organic studies and design, he established his namesake label in 2009.
Tommaso dyes his leather through a process he calls Pellevino – wherein the material is steeped in wine and other natural extracts to achieve its color. As with many things intuitive and resonant, this technique was born by accident when a bit of wine was spilled… the resulting burgundy a lit match for Tommaso’s creative bonfire.
In shapes both angular and solid, rounded and softly pleated, Tomasso’s designs embody a feminine modernity. Each is hand-sculpted on wooden molds, which creates structure without the need for seams. While he first began creating bags purely for personal use, he soon found joy in creating pieces for others. Today, the Cecchi de Rossi only creates and delivers their handbags in limited edition runs.
