Intrecciato is perhaps the most cultured signature in Italian leather goods: no logo, just strips of leather woven together. It is no coincidence that, in the comparisons between versions of the Andiamo and the Cassette, the discussion almost always ends up on the weave.
What, in short, do the most recent comparisons say? And which weave flaws really deserve attention?
Related threads: Bottega Veneta Jodie: what makes the knot, the slouch and the handle read right?, Goyard Saint-Louis: comparing versions without getting lost in factory names and Lady Dior: God factory or Angel factory? Cannage, leather and consistency.
Summary of the comparison threads for the Andiamo:
- The most-recommended higher-tier version: most often called the safer choice. Praised for structure, leather, stitching, hardware and colour. Sometimes described as slightly squishier and more matte than authentic.
- An alternative higher-tier version: compared head-to-head with it in one thread. I wouldn’t call a winner from a single comparison.
And the recurring weave concern: an uneven pattern, too tight or too loose, and a small gap where the weaving starts near the top stitching.
The start of the weave, that’s the point. An irregular intreccio at the start gives the whole thing away.
For the Cassette, the threads mention a trade-off: one version highly accurate, another higher-tier version with softer, richer leather but a triangle-stitch detail that some notice.
Squishier than authentic. Does that matter on a bag you carry every day?
Depends on the look you want. A slightly softer Andiamo slouches a little more. Some people won’t mind, others find it reads less crisp.
Can it be judged in QC? Structure partly, from side shots. Weave regularity, yes, clearly.
So the weave is at once the most important thing and the most verifiable one. A happy coincidence.
Andiamo / Cassette comparison, condensed:
Andiamo
- Most-recommended higher-tier version: the safer default in the threads. Strong on structure, leather, stitching, hardware and colour; may be slightly softer and more matte than authentic.
- Head-to-head with an alternative higher-tier version: only one comparison, so no overall winner yet.
Cassette
- Accuracy vs leather: one version highly accurate; another softer and richer, but with a noticeable triangle-stitch difference.
Weave QC (any version). This is the real test.
| Item |
Pass |
Flag |
From PSP |
| Weave regularity |
even strips, consistent tension |
too tight or loose patches |
high |
| Weave start near top stitching |
no gap |
small visible gap |
high, with a close-up |
| Structure |
holds shape |
slumps on the sides |
medium |
| Matte vs sheen |
close to reference |
— |
low |
[[PHOTO: close-up of the Andiamo weave where it meets the top stitching]]
If the weave is visibly inconsistent, the threads advise asking for an exchange before shipping.
Impeccable summary. I’m marking it as the solution, and if anyone has a vintage intrecciato to show us, I’d be delighted.