"Small, specialized artisans like us are still there, but they are fewer and fewer." And it is precisely this niche that is most likely to suffer in the current, extremely complex phase that the leather goods supply chain is going through. The same niche that represents the flagship of "made in Italy" and that by its very nature is more fragile in the face of market storms. Also confirming the situation is David Peruzzi, owner of Guardolificio Ombretta in Lastra a Signa (Florence), a historic company that has been producing semi-finished mignons for the leather goods sector for more than 40 years. It is a business that works with major brands, to which it has always offered high-quality products and services, as often only a small, large company is capable of doing.
"The situation is quite critical," Peruzzi explains, ": since September 2023 there has been a slowdown, but the heaviest blow was between the end of October and November 2023, when we recorded between 80 and 90 percent fewer orders. Now (as of February 2024, ed.) the situation is slightly improving, but we are still facing major reductions, around -60 percent. Whether or not it is, as I learn from the press, a consequence of too many post-Covid orders for which companies find their warehouses full of unsold items, the situation remains difficult. The ups and downs have always been there, but what we witnessed in late 2023 was really a sudden and abrupt change."
Founded as a guardolificio, the company over time has specialized in the manufacture of multiple components for leather goods and, while growing and implementing itself over the years, has never betrayed its artisan vocation, preserving that heritage of handmade techniques and workmanship capable of making a detail the distinguishing feature of the finished product and for this reason, generally highly sought after. "We specialize in handmade leather weaving," explains David Peruzzi, "but our work moves in the area of semi-finished mignons. Another aspect for which our work is in high demand are Strobel tubulars, used on both bags and footwear, for which even now we are receiving several requests."
