How to Buy a Campomaggi Bag: Campomaggi Leather and Color Variations Explained

First, a Little Background.
About the Leather Variations
About the Color Variations
Even MORE Variations
Got It?

First, a Little Background.

Marco Campomaggi's bags are intentionally made to be imperfect. They undergo a unique manufacturing process, where each bag is washed, dyed and distressed in its entirety after all the parts are put together - straps, lining and all (see exceptions below). This technique (patented by Marco's Campomaggi brand) not only gives his bags their vintage, weathered look, but also makes each single piece really a one-of-a-kind work of art. In fact, it GUARANTEES that no two bags are exactly alike. Because each "skin" is unique in the way it absorbs color, stretches and shrinks, each finished bag is distinct in its color, tonality, and texture. The resulting shape and size may also vary slightly.

In short: if you are looking for an even-toned, uniform-looking, cookie-cutter bag that looks like it came off of an assembly line, look elsewhere. Those of you who love a bag with uniqueness and personality to match your own, look no further.

About the Leather Variations

The leather used in Marco's rugged bags and accessories is 100% Italian full-grain leather - the finest quality - and the more you wear it, the more charm and personality it acquires. There are several varieties of leather used, which are:

Distressed: Remarkably vintage, "weathered" look. The natural tone of the leather is preserved, so the bag only acquires subtle earthy color "nuances" from the dying process. The leather is buttery and sumptuous ... you can just feel the natural oils as you run your fingers over it!
Vacchetta: Also distressed but pre-treated to acquire more color during the dying process. Big benefit is that it is lighter in weight than the Distressed counterparts.
Aged: The special treatment gives the leather a hazy color, and leaves the bag looking like it has just been excavated from a recently-discovered medieval town: timeless, weather-beaten, downright inimitable.
Soft: Made of Italian calfskin. Still distressed, yes ... but it is Campomaggi's softest leather type. They feel great to the touch and even better against your body!
Brushed Leather: This leather type is actually not distressed in the same way as the others - they are instead painstakingly hand-brushed to mimic the passage of time. A bit stiff at first, they will eventually soften with use.
Canvas: Ok, we all know that canvas is not leather, but Campomaggi's canvas bags deserve a little explanation. They are military-grade (i.e. very durable!) cotton canvas, and some are even water-resistant. And oh, they feature stone-washed leather trim to add that extra bit of "rugged".

About the Color Variations

The product options that share the same color code - for example, Olive Brown, Olive Brown, Lighter and Olive Brown, Darker - are all dyed with the same color dye. Naturally, just like some of us get a sunburn while others develope a nice "tan" (not fair!), some bags come out a bit ligher, some a little darker, and the rest in between. Each of those bags is an Olive Brown, but in order to better service our customers, we have broken them down into three levels of tonality. So in this example, the Olive Brown is the classification given to the medium-toned bags (which serve as the baseline), while any bag that is lighter in color we call Olive Brown, Lighter, and anything darker, Olive Brown, Darker.

Even MORE Variations

To complicate things further, not all parts of the bag will acquire the same amount of color. Let's go back to the part about the bag being dyed after it's been put together ... well, since the individual pieces of leather that make up the bag are not pre-dyed, it's impossible to know which parts will acquire more or less color. In some cases, the difference will be significant enough to warrant its own color name. Thus, we present you with two more terms: Contrast Trim and Multi-Tone. If you see Contrast Trim appended to a color option, you know that specific parts of the bag, usually the trim, absorbed the color more readily than the rest. If instead you see Multi-Tone, this means that the overall impression of the bag is such that we couldn't easily classify it under one of the three tonal gradients we explained above.

Now, these characteristics would be considered a fault when you're talking about piece-dyed bags ... but only increases the desirability when it comes garment-dyed (fancy word for dyed after put together) bags. If you like a bag with strong, uncompromising characters, you'll want to look for these. After all, these effects can't be reproduced on command!

Got It?

If you think you've got it, then you're ready to shop for Campomaggi bags and accessories! If you'd like us to try explaining it a little better, please feel free to contact us!

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How to Buy a Campomaggi Bag: Campomaggi Leather and Color Variations Explained