Il Bussetto, Soft and Seamless

In the corner of Giuseppe Fanara’s workshop, small pieces of leather have been stretched across their wooden moulds. They’re still in their natural color – slightly bleached and evenly tan, with just a hint of grain sitting on the surface. Their coloring and neat, row-by-row arrangement make them look like butter biscuits that have been taken out of Danish tin. But in reality, Fanara is waiting for these soaked leathers to dry so he can turn them into vibrantly colored coin pouches. 

Fanara is just one of the many leather artisans in Florence, ...