Hey Dolls,

This might be a little late in the game, but I have been seeing an abundance of Nappa Leather usage across different bag designers. What's the scoop on this leather anyway? Is it smooth, soft? Is it sturdy? Is it dry? From where is it from? Errr... what animal etc..? Anyone here owns any Nappa Leather?

It appears smooth but a lot more structured to me.

My BV Roma is made out of Nappa leather. Nappa leather is really really soft. It appears pretty durable. It's made from made from unsplit kid, lamb or sheep skin.

I love Nappa. It smells heavenly. I also think it is a little spongier feeling than some calf. Abi, there are so many different leathers and twice as many treatments for each type. Most of the standard Bottega Venetas are made from Nappa and they are fabulous!

Oooh, so I see. Thanks lionlaw and Jb! Is it typically light or heavy(ier) than Calf? When you say spongy, does it mean almost thicker? Then is it Soft as in smooth or Soft as in slouchy?

Can you ladies post a close-up pic?? Or maybe a link of a Nappa leather??

Originally Posted by abilicious

Oooh, so I see. Thanks lionlaw and Jb! Is it typically light or heavy(ier) than Calf? When you say spongy, does it mean almost thicker? Then is it Soft as in smooth or Soft as in slouchy? Can you ladies post a close-up pic?? Or maybe a link of a Nappa leather??

Abi - in my opinion it is slouchier than calf. Yes, I would say lots of nappa bags are a bit thicker so the leather gently springs back when smooshed. Some nappa (or napa) is textured slightly. I am generalizing, though. If you take a look at the Bottega Veneta reference library, you will see lots of examples of nappa. Nappa umbria is a waxed nappa and it has a more matte look.

Hi Abi:

I will also chime in and say it depends on the nappa type. I just checked and my Prada gaufres are nappa leather. Comparing it to my BV, the BV is softer and smooshier. Here are pics of the different look of the nappa on Prada vs. BV.

Aha! That makes sense. Oh.. thanks you guys! =)

:)