On the Hunt for the Perfect Aura Bag

It started with a stroll in Lecce, Puglia — the kind of late afternoon where the sun turns the lecesse stone walls honey-gold and every winding street feels like an invitation. Laura McCann, founder of Auratherapy, was visiting her mother, Leah Poller, a celebrated sculptor who spends part of the year in this southern Italian city. Jim, along for the trip,  weaved in and out of the streets, mastering the maps while Laura, the trend hunter was sniffing out something new: the magic happened,  as it often does.

A window display that glowed with intriguing texture drew them in:   bags unlike any Laura had ever seen. Not leather — and for her, that mattered. As a vegan brand founder, leather had never been part of the Auratherapy story. These bags were woven, looped, patterned in ways that felt almost architectural. The material was plush yet structured, woven on looms that looked like they belonged to another century. Some were pure in their pattern; others shimmered under neon and metallic paints, catching light like confetti at sunset. Lecce is not a beach town, but these bags were so perfect for Miami and Asheville - Laura couldn’t help but think: “This is a must for our clientel?”

Laura, who studied at Parsons and still misses the tactile joy of textiles, knew immediately she’d found something rare. “Leather just doesn’t fit our values — but fabric, especially one with this kind of history and character, is alive,” she says. “When you find a weave that feels both vintage and modern, it’s like falling in love with design all over again.”

The Gift of the Soul

Laura struck up a conversation with the shop staff — or tried to. Between her English and their Italian, it was more a dance than a dialogue. But the key question made it through: Do you do wholesale? Heads nodded. Smiles widened. Phones came out.

The owner, Fernando Pezzuto, founder of the LE DAF brand, was 45 minutes away. Time enough for an Aperol : Laura, Jim and Leah found a near-by café, ordered spritzes, and awaited Fernando’s return.

A warm welcome awaited their return to the boutique. Introductions were made,  with Leah translating perfectly. Laura learned LE DAF’s guiding phrase: “Gift of the Soul.” For over 20 years, Fernando had been exporting Made in Puglia creativity to the world. His collections weren’t a luxury for the few, but a good for the soul: timeless excellence in handcrafted bags. Each piece was unique, defined by original fabrics and an intuitive design sense that Fernando simply called “nature”.

From a boy wandering through his family’s lace shop to master craftsman, Fernando’s path was driven by curiosity for the unusual and the beautiful. He had built LE DAF into a workshop of elegance and originality, where needle, thread, and tradition meet invention.

The two founders, like minded, felt the creative spark. What next?

From Lecce to Miami

Before parting, Fernando mentioned he’d be in Miami in a few weeks for the Cabana Resort Show. Laura laughed — so would she! The world had just gotten smaller.

At Cabana, they sat down with swatches, forms, and ideas. Together they imagined an exclusive LE DAF x Auratherapy collection:

• The Aura Shopping Tote — roomy enough for a yoga mat, water bottle, and the “just in case” extras.
  
  

• The Mini Aura Tote — a petite, practical tote for errands or evenings out.
  
  

• Aura pochettes — essentials clutch size bags made entirely from fabric remnants, so nothing beautiful would go to waste.
  
  

The Aura logo would be woven directly into some pieces; embroidered on others. . All would get the LE DAF treatment of hand-painted metallics and neon pigments applied to the raised jacquard weave.

The Looms, the Fabric, the Magic

LE DAF’s textiles are woven on traditional Jacquard looms, creating a plush loop pile over a sturdy woven base. The patterns are engineered into panels so each motif sits exactly where it should,  once cut and sewn. It’s labor-intensive, but the result is precision you can see and feel. Think vintage bedspread madeover into a beautiful tapestry.

And the paintwork? Done entirely, painstakingly by hand, in Puglia. The metallics and neons kiss the raised slubs of the weave, highlighting depth and detail like sunlight raking across stone. The effect is both heritage and high-fashion — an Italian vintage dream updated for today.

A Family Affair

With the custom design order in place,  Fernando returned to Puglia in time to tour Leah at the “factoria” housed in an ancient masseria. She watched the process, took photos and videos, and saw firsthand the care in every step. This collaboration,begun as a chance encounter, had grown into something deeply personal — mother and daughter building a bridge between Auratherapy’s values, Italian craft and a new family home in Lecce. The Lecce - Miami - Asheville connection was just made.

When the finished bags arrived, it was clear they’d achieved their vision. Everyone wanted one. And why not? They’re not just bags. They are vessels for rituals, made to carry beauty, intention, and a piece of Puglia’s soul — exclusively for Auratherapy.