Briefcases and laptop bags have earned their place as style staples of the corporate world. But the areas of work and play have become blurred, and with this a new breed of multi-purpose pieces has emerged.
With little time to spare, many of us are choosing to get our exercise in by cycling to work or jogging home – neither of which can be done with a briefcase in hand.
Backpacks have always been practical; you can fit lots in them and balance the weight equally – good for your posture and by far supreme to an overloaded one-shoulder job.
A smarter breed of backpacks have now entered the domain and are fit for purpose in the workplace. Here are six backpacks that are boardroom ready.
Hershel Laptop Backpack
Herschel Settlement Laptop Backpack, £54.99, Surfdome
Practicality meets style with this crosshatch laptop backpack by Hershel Supply Co. Complete with an internal laptop sleeve which has been designed to fit most laptops up to 15 inches, there’s also an internal media pocket with headphone port for easy listening on the go.
At 23L it’s also big enough to pack your gym kit for a session on the way home.
C6 Slimline Backpack
C6 Slim Backpack Ballistic Nylon Black, £144.90, The Idle Man
The minimalist appearance of this C6 Slim Backpack can be deceiving. Handy built-in features include a large main compartment with mesh drop pocket and padded 15” laptop sleeve zip pocket within the covering flap of the bag.
There’s also a nifty hidden slip pocket on the front panel and shoulder straps that unclip for added storage behind the back panel.
Suede Reiss Backpack
Bolton Backpack, £225, Reiss
Luxe suede and real leather with a simple design and neutral colours make the Bolton backpack from Reiss office friendly.
Featuring a front pouch for easy access to all those essentials like your mobile or Oyster card, the large main compartment makes it perfect to use for work or play.
Samsonite Laptop Backpack
Samsonite CityVibe 16" Laptop Backpack, Black, £89, John Lewis
The King of backpacks, the CityVibe laptop backpack is built with multiple compartments and features a laptop and tablet compartment with fleece lining.
The padded, adjustable shoulder straps and mesh back panel ensure a comfortable fit.
Other features include a phone pocket, pen loops and a bottle holder. Top expandable carry handles make this laptop backpack cabin luggage ready.
Eastpak Floid Canvas Backpack
Floid Canvas Ltd Backpack, £85, Eastpak
This special edition Floid backpack from Eastpak features a contrast lining to inject some colour into your workday. With multiple zipped pocked for all of your tech plus a separate laptop enclosure, it also doubles as a useful carry-on bag.
The side compression straps give additional flexibility based on how much stuff you need to fit in so it doesn’t look more bulky than it needs to.
Mulberry Multitasker Backpack
Black Calfskin Multitasker Backpack, £995, Mulberry
When money is no object, the Multitasker men’s backpack by Mulberry has been designed with urbanites in mind.
The backpack itself can be worn either as a backpack or across the body, with streamlined handles which fold flat when not in use. This is a backpack in disguise and will cause some serious envy in the office when others get their trusted laptop bags out.
