Schedoni leather

[Johanna]

On page 36 on the Sept. 2006 Playboy in the "Mantrack" section there is a picture of a leather backgammon set that sells for $3500.00 and conveniently fits in your Ferrari. Here is the backgammon set. Okay, this Schedoni leather must be something, right?

Today, a model-specific Schedoni leather luggage set is a mandatory accessory for the Ferraristi. Through the years, Schedoni has kept pace by creating Ferrari suitcases that fit the car models, as evidenced by two pieces from the F360 Spider set.

Schedoni also fabricates bespoke luggage for Audi, Lamborghini, Maserati, Bentley, and Pagani. In addition, Schedoni’s Florida boutique—its first retail store in the world—sells a wide variety of leather goods to its discerning international clientele, including wallets, golf bags, backgammon sets, wine totes, and more.

Not surprisingly, Schedoni products boast extreme attention to detail and unimpeachable quality. “Our briefcases are by far the most popular items in our collection,” says Patrick Lapone, CEO of Schedoni USA, “especiallythe informal Cuoio Bottolato range.” While the English translation for Cuoio Bottolato—naturally tanned leather—may lack allure, the production process is suitably exotic. “We start with leather cut from the shoulders of French dairy cows from Brittany,” Lapone says. “They are the world’s most pampered breed—their hides never come in contact with barbed wire, bulls’ horns, or parasites.” The leather is tanned with the same process the Romans used more than 2,000 years ago. It is first spun in large wooden drums with vegetable oil for 36 hours, then it is pressed and hung to dry. To restore the leather’s natural suppleness, a second spinning takes place with the fat that was removed from the hides in the original spinning.

To accessorize the finished material, Schedoni’s artisans add solid brass hardware plated with palladium. Like the Ferrari luggage and the rest of Schedoni’s products, the Cuoio Bottolato briefcase lends new meaning to the words “soft” and “understated.”

“The briefcases are ideal for businesspeople who appreciate the finest handmade workmanship, but don’t want to show off,” Lapone says. “Of course, the smell is unforgettable. I guess some things shouldn’t be hidden.”

Automotive Accessories: The Soft Side of Sophistication

Robert Farago

Now, I'm curious. It appears that www.schedoni.com is a valid website, but all I see is a black screen. Not sure what is up with that, but I did see pictures of their trunk specific luggage, and yes it looks very nice, but it should, for the price. This once again demonstrates that anyone can become successful at leatherwork if they are aware of who their target market audience is and exploit it. The luggage.

Even better, this leather will MATCH in a Mercedes! You can get a six piece set CHEAPER than the backgammon board to fit in your glove compartment!

Take the Italian luggage maker Schedoni. Almost unknown in America, the company is prized in Europe for the quality of its leather and craftsmanship. (The very phrase "Italian leather" says it all.)

Schedoni's fame is its long-standing relationship with Ferrari. "Schedoni is Ferrari's oldest vendor," says Patrick Lapone, Schedoni's North American distributor. "The leather used is five or six grades above Connolly hide."

Because of the distinctive body shapes -- and limited luggage space -- of Ferrari automobiles, Ferrari owners can get special Schedoni luggage designed for their particular model Ferrari. The same opportunity exists for owners of the Mercedes-Benz SLK and CLK Cabriolet series, neither of which boasts large trunks, especially when the top is down. The finishing touch? Schedoni uses leather from the same tannery that supplies Mercedes-Benz, so its red, navy or black luggage exactly matches your Mercedes interior. A six-piece set goes for $2,200 for the SLK and $2,300 for the CLK Cabriolet. (www.schedoni.it)

Schedoni's style emphasizes a rounded shape, with one of the world's most beautiful leather suitcases ($620), as well as an extra-large travel bag with a rigid base that unzips from the soft-sided top half ($1,100). Schedoni's "Golf Collection" is worth noting, with a leather golf bag (two sizes, $2,000 and $2,200) and a golf tote that would make an ideal carry-on bag for airline travel ($850). Its two-way top zipper unzips to the base of the bag, making it easy to see the full contents.

from Cigar Aficionado who go on to say that English leather is actually better, and why. Schedoni makes a lot of money from those French cows!

Johanna

You can also buy this leather plaque for $100 from Schedoni, though I'm not really sure why anyone would want to. They made a special plate for that, didn't they?

off the :soapbox:

[gary]

This site is great ... look for a subject and it'll be there, somewhere.

I have a potential customer who wants some small pouches made. The customer is insisting that the leather used is Schedoni 'or a similar high quality' leather.

I've had a look at the Schedoni website (still just a black hole as Johanna found and very little information).

So, what is it about their leather that makes it so great? Apart from the Ferrari, Puma, etc links.

And, is there any leather that's as good (and more easily obtained) that doesn't come from pampered French cows that are wrapped in cotton-wool and have daily spa treatments and are born with a Ferrari/Puma/Mercedes birthmark?

Gary

[Art]

Hi Gary,

Wickett and Craig makes leather for Louis Vuitton, probably for bag production. I have seen it and it is right pretty stuff. If you need chrome or other tannages you might want to give Horween a spin. Their shell cordovan is the finest quality you can get.

Art

This site is great ... look for a subject and it'll be there, somewhere.

I have a potential customer who wants some small pouches made. The customer is insisting that the leather used is Schedoni 'or a similar high quality' leather.

I've had a look at the Schedoni website (still just a black hole as Johanna found and very little information).

So, what is it about their leather that makes it so great? Apart from the Ferrari, Puma, etc links.

And, is there any leather that's as good (and more easily obtained) that doesn't come from pampered French cows that are wrapped in cotton-wool and have daily spa treatments and are born with a Ferrari/Puma/Mercedes birthmark?

Gary

[gary]

Hi Gary,

Wickett and Craig makes leather for Louis Vuitton, probably for bag production. I have seen it and it is right pretty stuff. If you need chrome or other tannages you might want to give Horween a spin. Their shell cordovan is the finest quality you can get.

Art

Art,

Thanks for that. I have got a couple of possible contacts in the UK for similar leather but I will try your suggestions if they come to nothing.

Gary

[gary]

Thought I'd just finish this off by stating that the potential customer has failed to reply to my request for additional basic information such as what size? What colour? What type of fastener? Padded or lined interior? Any gusset?

They did send one e-mail that seemed to show they believed that leather fell into two categories, Schedoni (or similar) or 'standard bonded' with nothing in-between. Blinded by merchandising, bless them.

Gary