I called the Celine boutique in Florida back in December when rumors were spreading tha smooth Mini Luggage Bags would increase in price to $3250. I talked with Claudia, the manager over there, to get the scoop.
She explained that a new breed of smooth Minis, made out of a slightly shinier leather called "Palmellato," had just hit the stores (note that Celine spells this differently--PALMELETO.) I wanted to know what the huge difference was between these bags and the regular smooth ones. Claudia explained that these bags are drummed by hand using a special process of tanning and graining. Therefore, that is why they are more expensive.
Wanting to learn more, I conducted some research and discovered that Palmellato leather is simply an Italian word for drummed leather associated with luxury products. The term used among tanners is "boarding," defined as : working the grain side of a leather by hand with a cork-covered board or machine in order to restore and develop the natural grain.
OK, so that kind of makes sense. I remained a bit confused until I came across two other terms related to boarding. One was boarded leather: leather that has been softened and the surface of which has been slightly creased by folding grain to grain and then working the fold across the leather to and fro by hand boarding or boarding with a machine. Sounds like the result of the first definition--you drum the leather by hand, and end up with leather called Palmeleto.
The manual labor involved in drumming the leather adds value, but what else makes these Palmeleto bags worth the extra money? Well,it seems that the Celine Classic Box Bags have been made in this manner all along! Now it makes more sense why these smaller bags have always been so much more expensive. Further, Émile-Maurice Hermes, whose roots were in producing bridles and saddles, was one of the first to create handbags using this process. His wife complained of being unable to find a suitable handbag to her liking--meaning, all the durable bags were ugly! This set the standard, and these days most luxury handbag brands use palmellato leather as well.
The differences I personally notice on the "Palmeleto Red" and Palmeleto Gray" Minis (the only ones I have seen IRL )are the richness of the color and the presence of a slight sheen. It is not not shiny like patent leather, but has subtle, polished quality. The way the color is absorbed into the leather is exquisite, as if nature had produced such a glorious material.
This version of the Mini only exists in Red, Gray and Black at the moment, but not all smooth Red and Black Minis are made out of this. The description will say PALMELETO (even though this really is misspelled, and should be "palmellato.")
Just so grainy bags don't feel left out, I will confuse you again by adding the term boarded grain: grain pattern developed by boarding by hand or machine. I suppose this means that if Celine starts creating grainy bags by hand, we will see some expensive grainy bags, too!
Overall, my opinion is if you see a Celine Mini in Palmeleto you know you will use a lot, it is worth the extra cash.
She explained that a new breed of smooth Minis, made out of a slightly shinier leather called "Palmellato," had just hit the stores (note that Celine spells this differently--PALMELETO.) I wanted to know what the huge difference was between these bags and the regular smooth ones. Claudia explained that these bags are drummed by hand using a special process of tanning and graining. Therefore, that is why they are more expensive.
Wanting to learn more, I conducted some research and discovered that Palmellato leather is simply an Italian word for drummed leather associated with luxury products. The term used among tanners is "boarding," defined as : working the grain side of a leather by hand with a cork-covered board or machine in order to restore and develop the natural grain.
OK, so that kind of makes sense. I remained a bit confused until I came across two other terms related to boarding. One was boarded leather: leather that has been softened and the surface of which has been slightly creased by folding grain to grain and then working the fold across the leather to and fro by hand boarding or boarding with a machine. Sounds like the result of the first definition--you drum the leather by hand, and end up with leather called Palmeleto.
The manual labor involved in drumming the leather adds value, but what else makes these Palmeleto bags worth the extra money? Well,it seems that the Celine Classic Box Bags have been made in this manner all along! Now it makes more sense why these smaller bags have always been so much more expensive. Further, Émile-Maurice Hermes, whose roots were in producing bridles and saddles, was one of the first to create handbags using this process. His wife complained of being unable to find a suitable handbag to her liking--meaning, all the durable bags were ugly! This set the standard, and these days most luxury handbag brands use palmellato leather as well.
The differences I personally notice on the "Palmeleto Red" and Palmeleto Gray" Minis (the only ones I have seen IRL )are the richness of the color and the presence of a slight sheen. It is not not shiny like patent leather, but has subtle, polished quality. The way the color is absorbed into the leather is exquisite, as if nature had produced such a glorious material.
This version of the Mini only exists in Red, Gray and Black at the moment, but not all smooth Red and Black Minis are made out of this. The description will say PALMELETO (even though this really is misspelled, and should be "palmellato.")
Just so grainy bags don't feel left out, I will confuse you again by adding the term boarded grain: grain pattern developed by boarding by hand or machine. I suppose this means that if Celine starts creating grainy bags by hand, we will see some expensive grainy bags, too!
Overall, my opinion is if you see a Celine Mini in Palmeleto you know you will use a lot, it is worth the extra cash.
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