For the Love of Massaccesi

How did the love begin?  It was wanderlust!  A hunger for travel, and that adoration soon became the handbag tale before you.  I will try to keep it brief… oh, good gracious, who am I kidding, it is going to be a bit of a read, but it has a happy ending, so grab on and hold tight.

Upon arriving home after an enchanting journey to Italy, I found myself longing to bask in the essence of that truly beautiful country just a little longer. I could not get enough of her generous hearted people, the history, art and architecture I was surrounded by on every side.   Talents and gifts of the past and present were abundant.  If I close my eyes right now, I still hear the church bells pealing from their steeples, the Vespas zipping to and fro, the gentle lulling of the water in the fountains.  I see the light of the street lamps dancing off the cobblestone paths; the shutters and geranium filled window boxes.  The taste of the delicious cuisine----ohhhh don’t even get me started on the food! 

How better to hold on to this country that I ached for than with an Italian handbag?  It seemed a good idea at the time (still does!) so I Google searched, wishing I could purchase here what I saw there.  That search led me to a website with people as obsessed with handbags as I was… it led me to the Purse Forum.  

My education began, and onward I pressed.  It was like nectar to me. I was unstoppable.  There it was, all the information I desired about purchasing Italian-made beauties to my heart’s content.  My quest to find the perfect designer and handbag for me began in contemporary with a bag that was made in Italy and as I learned more and more, I slowly worked my way up to buying some of the finest premier designers available to me.  As my knowledge grew, so did my handbag collection of Chanel, Balenciaga, Givenchy, among other delights.

Then in the Fall of 2014, I heard of an Italian designer who was about to debut the first Season of his new collection.  His name… Marco Massaccesi.

Austrian journalist and writer Ernst Fischer once said “I don’t want life to imitate art, I want life to be art.”  Without a doubt, Massaccesi is the fulfillment of that wish.

In a time when some brands were decreasing quality, increasing prices and looking for ways to make bags faster, I found comfort in discovering that this designer is the polar opposite.  With tender care, and steady hands, he creates each handbag individually.  He completely embraces tradition, genuinely placing value on it; he is a craftsman that chooses to use centuries’ old techniques taught to him by his father in their workshop, on the land of his grandfather near Ascoli Piceno. This is Massaccesi Handbags.

Can you imagine living in a place so rich in history?  Okay, I’ll admit it, this old soul was already smitten as I discovered the story behind the story, the passing on of tradition and legacy.  But I knew that without a high quality well-made handbag, that is where the journey would end for me.  Owning beautiful handbags thus far had set the bar quite high for me and I was not easily impressed.

My experience with Marco Massaccesi’s debut season in the Autumn of 2014 was sheer excitement, the thrill of the unknown, and of being in at the beginning of something great.  I had never been witness to an artist’s work during his debut, and it was incredibly exhilarating to me.  As it all was about to unfold, I found I could keep my mind on little else.  Imagine walking the streets of Paris as Gabrielle Chanel was about open her first shop on 21 Rue Cambon in 1910 and having the privilege of selecting a hat from her first collection!

Well, I was clearly nowhere near Marco Massaccesi’s Italian atelier in the Marche region, but at this moment in time, I felt transcended.  What would the styles look like?  What would they look like on me?  Would the leathers be gorgeous?  The hardware fine?  The linings of exceptional quality?

The day of his collection debut is one of beautiful photography and presentation.  It showcases his work in the finest possible manner.  I find the designs to be beautiful and relevant, classic and chic.  Oooooh, look at that one there, it has a little edge!  The styles gracefully flatter each woman.  I want to be the girl in the photograph enjoying her weekend in this lovely Italian Piazza.  The handbags are breathtakingly gorgeous, mozzafiato, and accent every fine feature of a woman’s figure.  The drop, where the handbag begins and ends, and the contours compliment the beauty she already possesses.  One of the first things that appeals to me as I savor his designs is that they do not immediately make me think of another designer.  They are unique!  I find this so rare now.  Had I not already known the answer, these handbags would have made me ask the questions, “Who is this designer?” and, oh my stars, “Where in the world did you buy that bag?”

Much thought goes into my first purchase, and as I am about hold my first Massaccesi it feels like I am in a dream.  I am aware from checking the tracking number online a million times that she has arrived at my local post office and is available to pick up now, or I can wait until the next day for delivery.  “Wait until tomorrow?” Oh yes, right, like that is going to happen!  The drive to the post office is a blur and as I drive home with my newly arrived parcel sitting next to me on the passenger seat, I find I can wait no longer.  At a particularly long traffic light, I tear into the box like a woman on a mission, caring not one bit for what the drivers next to me might be thinking.  When I see the dustbag and open it, my heart is beating fast and I hear angels singing.  I am besotted!  I am immediately taken by the quality of the fine Italian leather---it is soft yet strong and the heavenly scent pours over me, as well as the deeply saturated taupe color.  The design is so lovely and distinctive. I do not want to let go of her, and the longevity of the style is immediately apparent.  Every stitch is straight and perfectly spaced.  The seaming is impeccable.  The hand-painted edges are exquisite.

Like a never ending sea, the exterior leather follows inches deep directly into the interior of the handbag.  Small details like the leather covered magnet closure and the stunning hue of the high quality light gold hardware roll over me with an intoxicating happiness.  The beautiful millerighe lining is gorgeous and compliments the leather color rather than competing with it.  I am acutely aware that days ago my beautiful handbag was in the hands of those that gave her life as opposed to waiting for months on a shelf with many other sadly mass produced bags.

But it is not until I carry her that the deepest love occurs.  Any woman knows this to be true. Carrying a handbag is a very personal thing.  And this Massaccesi handbag on my person is bliss from the start.  She is so stunning!  I find she does not merely accessorize me, but actually becomes a part of me as I wear her.  The strap drop and comfort are amazing.  The function and ease with which I am able to reach inside while she is still on my shoulder, divine.  She stays close by my side, like a trusted confidant.  I have a little swagger in my step!  This is not just carrying a handbag, to me it is undoubtedly art on my arm.  It is the street lamps and sculptures and fountains I had longed to hold with me after my trip.  It is as beautiful as the rain on the cobblestones.  It is Italian heaven.

Owning a beautiful handbag is a privilege and a treasure.  I find that I have never been so proud to carry one as I now am with Massaccesi.  That first handbag led to many more, and with each purchase my love grew.  For one full year I have shared my love with many other women on the Purse Forum.  The Massaccesi brand’s dedication to making certain every customer is blissfully happy with their handbag, often making individual customizations on request, provides a wow factor that is off the charts.  It has far surpassed any buying experience I have ever known. 

Slowly but surely, as my beloved Massaccesi handbags arrived on our doorstep, previously purchased bags by other designers were easily sold off to make room.  At that moment I knew I had developed a devotion that would never end.  I had landed safely in Handbag Nirvana.

Here, my friends, is how the story ends…. or is it just the beginning?  Hoping, wishing really, that I might be of some use to the MM family so far away from me, I had an idea and offered my services to them here in the States.  Who could have dreamt that the team at Massaccesi would find it a good idea and honor me with a post as your US/Canadian customer care representative?

This is our place.  A safe harbor for me to whisper sweet nothings to you.  And I am going to run here every single time I have a delicious leather tidbit to share…..For the Love of Massaccesi.

…if you would like to whisper back I am forever at your service, 
please post here or I maybe reached at:

colette@marcomassaccesi.it

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