Here's my not-so-brief but (hopefully) useful leather shopping advice for those of you who are Florence bound! I found an out-of-the way, good quality, and very affordable leather shop that isn't on any of the lists but has solid reviews on Google and good products. I intend to post this review in Google, as well, so don't be surprised if you see it there.
I was determined to get a quality leather handbag and jacket in Florence because, of course, it's Florence :) Everyone suggested to go to the leather school (Scuola dei Cuoio) in Santa Croce. I did, and yes, it was very atmospheric, with artisans onsite making leather products using the same tools masters used 500 years ago. Anyway, I bought a small bag and a belt, got both stamped with initials (free!) and while the bag was moderately priced (around 150 euros), I knew I couldn't afford the jackets.
I had already checked the stores in Florence that are recommended for the best leather jackets: the school, of course, but also Ben Heart, David Cesari, and a few other fancy leather shops. I looked at their products, and yes, the quality was gorgeous, but... if I could afford 700 euros for a jacket, I'd simply buy it in the States. So, I started searching off the grid, so to speak, stopping in many of the 'ordinary' leather shops of which there are hundreds in Florence. In my experience, the salesmen in these 'cheaper' stores are aggressive, pushy, insist that you 'touch, touch!' while repeating that they have the best leather in Florence. Also, in every single shop, a miracle happened: the prices are 'normally' 350 euros, but because I am special and it's a special day I get a special price... and other similar drivel. Many of the jackets seemed stiff and uncomfortable, but the truth is, I couldn't even examine them properly because the salesman (and it was always a man, in my experience) was so busy shoving jackets at me and shouting for me to touch everything.
Exhausted by all this, I went to the fanciest shop near me (David Cesari) where there was zero pressure from the professional and helpful woman who worked there. I took advantage of her chilly aloofness to examine the 600-1200 euro jackets: the stitching, the material, the fit, the 'feel', and so on. I noticed that the pockets shouldn't be shallow, but should fit your hands comfortably without the zippers scratching your wrists. The leather should be 'bouncy' and not too thin. Armed with this knowledge, I ventured back out into the world of affordable leather.
I ended up at a little unassuming spot called [redacted], a leather goods shop in the Santa Croce piazza, to the right of the Santa Croce basilica if you're looking directly at it. I'm certainly no expert, but the jackets there seemed quite similar in terms of texture, stitching, etc to the expensive jackets, but they were all around 200 euros and less. The gentleman on duty was patient and helpful, didn't push me to buy anything, simply answered questions and waited for me to try on a thousand things. In the end, I purchased a soft, comfortable, well-fitted leather jacket for what seems to me to be a 'good deal' and that doesn't feel or fit any differently from the 800-euro jacket a few streets away.