Purpleflower: Both Alto and Florentine are high end Dooney lines and I love them both.
The leather, the designs, and the craftsmanship are very different.
Alto bags are also much more expensive.
Alto leather is very finely grained and most designs are quite structured.
It's an extremely luxe leather, but will show scratches and wear over time.
Scratches cannot be buffed out. The leather and craftmanship are excellent
quality. Alto leather and tanning processes might be superior to Florentine,
or very similar.
Alto bags tend to be lighter than Florentine, but the leather is thick and high quality.
Alto is not a thin, soft glove leather (and that's a good thing).
The Alto bags are manufactured in Italy. The designs tend to be elegant and classic and
understated....without tassels or buckles, etc. The interior is sometimes only partially lined, with the
unlined areas being the natural underside suede of the leather. Also, don't expect the standard
organization pockets inside an Alto bag.... there is no key leash, and generally only
one or 2 small slip or zip pockets (some designs have outside pockets). Don't make any
assumptions about shoulder or cross body straps because Alto is not the same as
most Dooney designs.
Alto bags are high end and very understated. I love them, but think they are
an acquired taste. Some people don't mind if their bags get marks from use but
I like my bags to be pristine. Since I have a collection of handbags, I can
rotate and use the Alto when they are less likely to be 'worn hard'.
When I think of Alto I think of old money.
People who bought the very best quality
and expected to use their items for a very long time. They take very good care of their
things and a few scratches just add character.
You are familiar with Florentine. The leather can be smooth or pebbled. It is thick and high
quality leather produced using high quality tanning techniques, in Italy.
Florentine designs are often unstructured so the leather can soften and drape or fold.
Florentine leather surfaces are untreated but scratches can often (not always) be buffed
out. Florentine handbags are manufactured in many different countries....usually in the
Far East, sometimes (rarely) in the US.
Florentine designs often include external
zippers, belting, tassels, etc. Some Florentine styles are very casual and some are
more 'dressy'. Some Florentine styles are quite simple and some have a lot going on.
I think Florentine handbags are more 'noticeable' than Alto handbags at first glance.
Of course, for the handbag 'collector', if you know Dooney you can spot an Alto bag
at a glance.
Florentine bags have standard Dooney linings and internal organization we have come
to depend on.
Hope this helps. Let me know if you have other questions and I'll share what I 'know'.
The more I learn about leather and handbags, the more complex I realize the subject is,
and the more questions I have regarding the leather itself.
The leather, the designs, and the craftsmanship are very different.
Alto bags are also much more expensive.
Alto leather is very finely grained and most designs are quite structured.
It's an extremely luxe leather, but will show scratches and wear over time.
Scratches cannot be buffed out. The leather and craftmanship are excellent
quality. Alto leather and tanning processes might be superior to Florentine,
or very similar.
Alto bags tend to be lighter than Florentine, but the leather is thick and high quality.
Alto is not a thin, soft glove leather (and that's a good thing).
The Alto bags are manufactured in Italy. The designs tend to be elegant and classic and
understated....without tassels or buckles, etc. The interior is sometimes only partially lined, with the
unlined areas being the natural underside suede of the leather. Also, don't expect the standard
organization pockets inside an Alto bag.... there is no key leash, and generally only
one or 2 small slip or zip pockets (some designs have outside pockets). Don't make any
assumptions about shoulder or cross body straps because Alto is not the same as
most Dooney designs.
Alto bags are high end and very understated. I love them, but think they are
an acquired taste. Some people don't mind if their bags get marks from use but
I like my bags to be pristine. Since I have a collection of handbags, I can
rotate and use the Alto when they are less likely to be 'worn hard'.
When I think of Alto I think of old money.
People who bought the very best qualityand expected to use their items for a very long time. They take very good care of their
things and a few scratches just add character.
You are familiar with Florentine. The leather can be smooth or pebbled. It is thick and high
quality leather produced using high quality tanning techniques, in Italy.
Florentine designs are often unstructured so the leather can soften and drape or fold.
Florentine leather surfaces are untreated but scratches can often (not always) be buffed
out. Florentine handbags are manufactured in many different countries....usually in the
Far East, sometimes (rarely) in the US.
Florentine designs often include external
zippers, belting, tassels, etc. Some Florentine styles are very casual and some are
more 'dressy'. Some Florentine styles are quite simple and some have a lot going on.
I think Florentine handbags are more 'noticeable' than Alto handbags at first glance.
Of course, for the handbag 'collector', if you know Dooney you can spot an Alto bag
at a glance.
Florentine bags have standard Dooney linings and internal organization we have come
to depend on.
Hope this helps. Let me know if you have other questions and I'll share what I 'know'.
The more I learn about leather and handbags, the more complex I realize the subject is,
and the more questions I have regarding the leather itself.
D
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You are such a gem! Thanks for the explanation. I may consider collecting an alto. My concern is if it can take the wear and tear of my busy life. The florentine is so yummy and pliable. My favorite bag right now is a small florentine satchel I just got in ocean...it's used about 8 years old I think....but super super super soft and pliable. Just love it....the alto does look like old money....a collection piece....the scratches would bother me on an alto I think....the raw leather lining sounds beautiful...beautiful....the hunt continues 
hello lavenderjunkie, I am interested in florentine cameron satchel and after reading your post, I am kind of thinking, will the structured bag be out of shape? because you said that florentine leather will soften.
thank you
thank you
In my experience, they keep their structure and don’t soften over time. They are beautiful and extremely well made, just be aware that they scratch easily. If that doesn’t bother you, then you would likely love them.
The Florentine Cameron satchel is a structured handbag by design. I do not think that
it will lose it's shape over time. I believe that Dooney takes care that the design will
be maintained over time, even though the leather may get more supple.
I have many Dooney pebble leather zip zip handbags which are similar in shape to the Cameron.
The pebbled leather is much, much, much thinner. The zip zips which have been used for
a long time still maintain their domed shape and do not puddle. The leather may feel softer
to the touch, but the bag looks the same. Since the Florentine Cameron is a much higher
quality leather, I have no doubts it will hold it's shape.
thank you! I am also interested in alto emilia (currently out of stock) but florentine cameron satchel doesn't have a divider so I lean my choice toward the latter. Also, the cameron satchel is leather lined (I was surprised since the description doesn't mention about leather lined).
What color do you own? I want the chestnut one but the pictures look like the bag is more reddish than brown and the natural looks like orange while the navy one is pretty but I do not like the obvious red contrast on the zipper.
D
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I use a perira purse organizer since I switch bags several times a week....helps with the organization. I really love my Cameron's. They were my first florentine bags....first love. Something so stately about them...I rotate them in every week....the Altos...I may have to wait on that...I have teenagers right now...anything can happen lol
D
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I have Bordeaux, natural, black, elephant, navy....Chestnut bags are not my favorite color....natural....something about that natural lol