Boutique featuring Italian leather handbags opens on St. Armands

By Dana Kampa
| 11:00 a.m. November 3, 2025

Christian Delunas, retail general manager, shows one of his favorite unique purses offered at the newly opened Italian Idea boutique on St. Armands Circle. The shop recently hosted a soft opening for its third attempt to open a location on the shopping hub.

Sarasota
Business

Christian Delunas, retail general manager of Italian Idea, said the family opened the first store in Sarasota in 2017. However, the family tradition of working in Italian leather goods goes back to the 1930s.

"This is actually our third time opening here," he said. "We first opened in 2018 but had to close because of the pandemic. Then we opened another store last year, and we had to close it because of the hurricanes. This is our third time."

The shop carries purses in a variety of styles that incorporate unique textures and colors to complement classic shapes.

Nothing could dampen the owners' excitement as they settled in for what they hope will be their final reopening on Oct. 25.

"St. Armands Circle is a beautiful place," he said when asked how they decided on their secondary location. They opened the first Sarasota location at 136 S. Pineapple Ave.

Their storefront offers high-quality purses, many with a classic silhouette and a unique touch, be it an eye-catching color or fun texture.

"Everything is made in Italy," he said. "I've worked with these companies since 1995."

The newest Italian Idea location opened at 59 S. Boulevard of the Presidents on St. Armands Circle.

Delunas can point customers to purses from specific regions of Italy to suit their taste, informed by his decades of working to understand what makes each artisan brand special through trade shows and site visits.

"It's like a little tour of Italy," he said while gesturing to the shelves of purses.

Delunas said his family focuses more on showcasing high-quality products than specific designer names, so they are able to offer luxury purses at a lower price than other comparable stores.

Christian Delunas and Antonellos Piras, the minds behind the Italian Idea boutique that recently opened on St. Armands Circle, hosted a soft opening on Oct. 25.

"Sometimes you're paying for the name, not the product," he said.

Styles vary from dressy clutches to more casual over-the-shoulder accessories. He said the signature flair of the lines they carry makes their purses well-suited to Florida fashion.

Delunas said he is proud to carry on the family tradition and bring his expertise to St. Armands Key.

author

Dana Kampa

Dana Kampa is the Longboat Key neighbors reporter for the Observer. She first ventured into journalism in her home state of Wisconsin, going on to report community stories everywhere from the snowy mountains of Washington State to the sunny shores of the Caribbean. She has been a writer and photographer for more than a decade, covering what matters most to readers.