When it comes to brand-name handbags, it’s easy to feel like everyone is wearing the same thing. You can’t go down a city center without seeing an army of Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci bags.
It’s easy to want something different and unique while maintaining that luxury aesthetic. If this sounds like you, then we have the perfect brand for you.
Furla is a luxury Italian brand that is the fashion industry’s best-kept secret. We’re taking an in-depth look at Furla, including where their bags are made and how to spot a fake.
What is Furla?
Furla was established in 1927 by the Furlanetto family, who still own the company to this day. It continues to operate as a limited liability company, one of the few high-end brands in this category.
As an Italian brand, they offer everything from handbags to small leather goods and shoes. Furla pitches itself at the “strong, independent, emancipated women who paid attention to emerging fashions” with Italian sophistication.
The Furla headquarters are in an 18th-century villa in Bologna, Italy, with five subsidiaries across the world. The first Furla store opened its doors in Bologna in 1955, before the Furla brand was handed down to the second generation of the family in the 1970s.
Their first store in Bologna is significant because it was originally used to produce everything from clothing to accessories. The family decided to shift their focus onto leather goods, continuing Italy’s rich heritage for leather craftsmanship.
Founded in 1927, Furla features Italian-designed products from handbags and shoes to accessories
It was during the 1970s that the first bags were launched with the ‘Furla’ logo.
Furla adopted an avant-garde style, using unusual production methods and choosing atypical materials, including nylon and rubber. It was this shift that allowed Furla to gain attention within the fashion industry.
During the 1980s, Furla began to expand outside the Italian market, launching its franchising network. They opened a store on Madison Avenue and had a presence across Europe.
The brand has now gone global, exporting to over 70 countries, with more than 1000 retail outlets and over 300 boutiques. Around half of these are owned by Furla directly, while the other half are franchises.
Their expansion plans focus on the Asian market, which led them to enter into a joint venture with Li & Fung Holdings Ltd to help enter the mainstream market. They’ve also got their eyes on entering the Indian market, having recently entered another joint venture with Genesis Luxury Fashion Pvt. Ltd.
The brand is focused on expanding its presence internationally, bringing the attainable luxury of ‘Made in Italy’ to the world.
Is Furla a luxury brand?
One of the biggest debates around Furla is whether the brand falls into the ‘luxury’ category. It’s not on the same level as Gucci or Chanel, but it’s not at the level of Longchamp or Kate Spade.
Furla sits comfortably in the spot known as ‘accessible luxury’. While their bags won’t break the bank, they’re investment pieces that will last you a lifetime, with impeccable Italian craftsmanship.
Furla has stayed true to its Italian heritage since its establishment in 1927
You can compare Furla to brands like Tory Burch or Coach, giving you a high-quality leather product at an attainable price point. What puts Furla above these brands is the ‘Made in Italy’ stamp.
Furla bags are made using tanned leather with the highest-quality production technics. Their work is an all-Italian production, creating elegant pieces that encapsulate the ‘Made in Italy’ aesthetic.
When it comes to luxury handbags, almost all of them use leather sourced from Italy. The heritage around Italian craftsmanship means that it’s second to none.
What is Furla famous for?
Furla pitches itself as a brand that “interprets the Italian lifestyle into each and every product, with a distinctive creative spirit, understated design, and timeless elegance”.
Furla is famous for its encapsulation of the Italian aesthetic, bringing it into the modern era with a touch of creativity and signature Italian craftsmanship.
If you’re looking to add a hint of Italy to your closet, look no further than Furla. Their handbags and accessories work for almost every lifestyle, with versatile pieces that you can take with you on the go.
Where are Furla bags made?
Furla bags are made in Italy – it’s part of their DNA and incorporated into everything that they do.
As an Italian brand through and through, Furla uses the finest-quality leather to create its handbags and accessories. While you’ll find the occasional quirky PVC bag, almost every Furla bag is made using leather.
Since 2019, Furla has committed to only using faux fur in their collections.
Aside from its PVC bags, Furla also has an array of bags made from genuine leather
While other comparable brands – like Tory Burch – are moving their production to China, Furla is one of the few attainable luxury brands to stay firmly in Europe.
As Italy is enshrined into the brand’s essence, you can be sure that its production will stay firmly in Italy.
6 Best ways to identify fake Furla bags
When we think of counterfeit bags, it’s usually top-tier luxury brands that jump to mind. The counterfeit or ’super fake’ market is larger than ever and becoming more prominent thanks to social media platforms like TikTok.
Brands at the attainable luxury price point are also finding themselves becoming victims of the counterfeiting industry. As a timeless brand with versatile designs, it’s no surprise that Furla has joined this list.
The best way to ensure that you’re purchasing a genuine Furla bag is to buy directly from the brand or an authorized stockist like Saks Fifth Avenue or Farfetch. If you’re planning to purchase a Furla bag pre-loved from a website or store, you want to know what signs to look out for.
Counterfeiters are getting smarter with their production methods. You no longer can rely on things like a receipt, tags, or authenticity card as being proof of the item being genuine.
We’re rounding up a few signs to look for that are red flags for a piece potentially being a fake bag. You can never be too careful when buying pre-loved, especially if you’re purchasing online. These are our top tips on how to tell the authenticity of a potential Furla bag.
1. Look at the dust bag
Not every pre-loved Furla bag will come with a dust bag. If it does come with one, you want to look closely at it. Given Furla’s Italian craftsmanship, their dust bags are high-quality and designed to last.
A real Furla dust bag (left) is soft and has the correct size, while a fake Furla dust bag (right) doesn’t feel premium and doesn’t fit well with the bag (Credit: Ionela Torgai YouTube channel)
The dust bag should be correctly sized to fit the bag and be a soft material that feels premium. The Furla logo will feature on the dust bag in black font with capital letters.
2. Italian leather
Furla’s DNA is engrained with Italian craftsmanship, including the leather that it uses. The brand exclusively uses real leather, which will be smooth and buttery to the touch.
A real Furla bag (left) is crafted from smooth buttery leather, while a fake Furla bag (right) is rather rigid (Credit: Ionela Torgai YouTube channel)
If you notice bumps or think the bag feels rigid, it’s an instant red flag. If you see a listing claiming that Furla uses “vegan leather”, it’s a tell-tale sign that the item is a counterfeit. While Furla now uses faux fur (since 2019), their leather is exclusively genuine.
3. Suede interior
With the obvious exception of PVC bags, most Furla bags will have a suede interior. Just like the dust bag, this should be high-quality and smooth to the touch.
The interior of the fake Furla bag (right) isn’t as soft as the genuine suede interior on the real Furla bag (left) (Credit: Ionela Torgai YouTube channel)
As suede is an expensive fabric, most counterfeit bags will skip this feature. You can tell if a material is a genuine suede by its softness. If it’s not as soft as butter, it’s not genuine suede.
4. Interior
On the interior of the bag, you should find ‘Furla’ and ‘Genuine Leather’, usually with the ‘Made in Italy’ stamp between them. If you see anything else on the interior, it’s another red flag.
Real Furla bags have the Furla and Genuine Leather tag stitched inside, usually with the Made in Italy stamp
In some designs, Furla uses PVC instead of leather. You’ll be able to instantly spot this, along with bags made with velvet or suede instead of leather.
5. Check the stitching
When it comes to counterfeit bags, there isn’t the same attention to detail. If you can see the bag in person, get up close and personal with it. You want to take a look at the stitching and make sure it’s all in-line and correct.
Stitchings on the real Furla Bag (left) look more neat and seamless compared to the stitchings on the fake Furla bag (right) (Credit: Ionela Torgai YouTube channel)
Furla bags are famous for their Italian craftsmanship, which includes their stitching. The attention to detail with Furla is second to none. If you notice mistakes or poor craftsmanship, it’s an instant red flag.
6. ID number
Not every brand uses ID numbers on their bags, but Furla is one of them. You’ll spot an ID number on a small white tag inside your bag.
It’s worth noting that just because a bag has an ID number doesn’t automatically mean that it’s genuine. If the bag doesn’t have an ID number, it’s an issue.