Born in Florence in the early 1950s, the Misuri Grace 1957 began with the meeting of two Florentine craftsmen: Dante Calonaci, a leather artisan who had once worked for Guccio Gucci, and Cesare Misuri, the decorator behind the historic Misuri bottega in Piazza Santa Croce.

Together, they created a bag that demanded the intelligence of the hand. Its structure, folded edges, hand-assembled panels and delicate gold decoration could not be left to machinery. It required time, patience, ancient tools and the quiet precision of artisans who understood leather through touch.

In the Misuri workshop, the first pieces were cut, shaped and decorated by hand with real gold leaf, using the Florentine technique passed down by Cesare Misuri. The bag soon found its audience among American travellers discovering Florence through the Misuri store, guided by Iolanda Misuri, Cesare’s daughter, who helped bring the family’s craftsmanship beyond Italy.

Then the story slips into cinema. In the 1950s, while Grace Kelly was filming To Catch a Thief on the French Riviera, family memory tells that she travelled to Italy and visited the Misuri boutique in Florence. There, she discovered the bag, admired its rare elegance and purchased one. From that moment, in her honour, it became known as The Grace 1957.

Still made in Florence today, the Grace 1957 is composed of 14 leather panels, each cut, stitched and folded by hand. Its side gussets give the bag its distinctive structure and generous capacity, while its compartments, zipped pockets and coin purses reveal a careful balance between beauty and function.

Each piece takes hours to complete. The leather must settle, the stitching must follow the shape, and every detail must be guided by the hand. A Misuri Grace 1957 is not designed for a season. It is made to be carried, cared for and kept for decades.