The Best Men's Designer Bags, From the Briefcase to the Pouch, Sized to Your Laptop

The men's designer bags worth owning come in two sizes. The first carries a laptop to work: a briefcase if you wear tailoring most days, a leather or nylon tote if you do not, a backpack if you walk or cycle far. The second holds a phone, cards and keys when the laptop stays home: a crossbody, a belt bag or a pouch. Buy the first for the laptop it must hold, since a bag that cannot fit the computer stays in the closet, and the second for how you dress on weekends. Below, Vêtir's styling editors take each type in turn, check the laptop bags' listed sizes against Apple's figures and shop more than 70 luxury bags for men from Saint Laurent, Berluti, Bottega Veneta, Loro Piana, The Row and 17 other houses. Bags for a trip away are in our weekender guide.

Men's designer bags at a glance

The table runs from the most formal bag to the most casual.

Will your laptop fit? The bags in this guide, measured

A listing that promises room for "a laptop" rarely says which one. Apple's MacBook Pro specifications give the 14-inch as 12.31 inches wide and 8.71 deep and the 16-inch as 14.01 by 9.77; its MacBook Air specifications give 11.97 by 8.46 for the 13-inch and 13.40 by 9.35 for the 15-inch. We use the rule from our women's work-bag guide: the bag's listed outside width should beat the laptop's width by two inches and its height should beat the laptop's depth by one, rounded up to the next half inch, because lining and seams eat into the inside. A 16-inch MacBook Pro therefore needs a bag at least 16.5 inches wide and 11 tall. Here is how the laptop bags below measure, by their own listings.

Read the table as an estimate: the verdicts are our rule applied to the retailers' figures, not the houses' claims. A bag that tapers, like Loewe's trapezoid Flex, is narrower at the opening than its listed width, a padded sleeve needs room of its own (measure the sleeve, not the laptop), and a bag that only just clears the rule is a no. In a backpack the laptop stands on end, so read the bag's height against the laptop's width. Depth decides what else goes in: Burberry's briefcase, at two and a half inches, takes a charger and a folder, not a sweater. And "messenger" names a style, not a size: Saint Laurent lists a leather messenger 8.3 inches wide, a phone-and-wallet bag, while Loewe's Flex takes a 14-inch laptop. Where a listing gives no size (Berluti's for the 2 Jours Neo says only that it "comfortably fits a laptop"), ask the house before you buy.

Designer briefcases: the bag for a suit

A briefcase is the one bag here that looks right with a suit and tie. Look for a second compartment that keeps the laptop away from papers, a detachable shoulder strap for the walk to the train, a band on the back that slides over a roller case's handle, and a zip rather than buckles if you fly often, since the laptop comes out at the checkpoint.

Bottega Veneta's Getaway Large is woven Intrecciato leather with two main compartments and a trolley strap; our Bottega Veneta guide explains the weave. Burberry's leather briefcase, made in Italy, is plain apart from a small enameled logo: two top handles and a top zip. Saint Laurent's Sac de Jour Large Slim is smooth leather lined in suede, with a two-way zip and side gussets. Tom Ford's Elliot Large has four slip pockets and a zip pocket inside. Brunello Cucinelli's burgundy calfskin briefcase is the traditional satchel: a flap held by magnetic snaps, two open pockets on the front and, the listing says, a water-resistant fabric lining. Zegna's calf leather business bag zips shut and is finished with glazed silver hardware. Berluti's 2 Jours Neo is cut from Venezia leather, a full-grain calfskin that, Berluti says, its Italian tannery perfected in 1993 to take the house's hand-rubbed patina. Mulberry's Belgrave has reinforced corners for crowded commutes.

• A charcoal suit, a white shirt, a black knit tie, black cap-toe Oxfords and a black Saint Laurent briefcase.
• A navy suit, a pale blue shirt, black monk straps and Brunello Cucinelli's burgundy briefcase.
• A mid-gray flannel suit, a cream roll-neck, dark brown suede loafers and Berluti's dark brown Venezia briefcase.

Slim document cases and portfolios

Some days the laptop is all you carry, and a slim case holds it with a folder; it also doubles as a sleeve inside a tote. Saint Laurent's smooth leather case is listed at 14.6 by 10.2 inches and less than an inch deep, with a flap, a clasp and a padded handle: a 14-inch laptop by our rule, plus a few sheets rather than a full folder. Brunello Cucinelli's leather portfolio has zipped and slot pockets inside and a card slot. Tom Ford's full-grain portfolio closes with a magnetic flap; at 13 by 9.8 inches it is an inch narrower than our rule asks even for a 13-inch laptop, so treat it as a case for documents and a tablet. Givenchy's padded calfskin Antigona pouch, at 13.8 by 9.8 inches, does the same job with a zip. Ferragamo's hammered-leather Trading briefcase, zipped all the way round with a sleeve for a roller case's handle, adds handles and a shoulder strap to the slim shape, as do Berluti's Un Jour Mini and Thom Browne's pebble-grain business briefcase.

Men's tote bags in leather

A leather tote is the business-casual bag: easier than a briefcase with an unstructured jacket, and roomier for gym kit. It rides on the shoulder, so check the handle drop. Saint Laurent lists its Shopping tote at about 9.2 inches. Our stylists' rule of thumb, not a house figure: nine inches clears the shoulder of a jacket, and a heavy overcoat wants ten. Then check the closure. The Shopping tote fastens with a snap and has a detachable zip pouch inside; Tom Ford's soft north-south tote and Prada's Bonnie both zip shut, and the Bonnie adds buckled side straps and a detachable shoulder strap.

Loro Piana's Bale, in full-grain leather, comes with a detachable pouch for small things, and its listing promises room for a laptop, a full-size wallet and over-ear headphones. Ferragamo's Hug tote is hammered calf on rectangular foot studs, which keep its base off a wet station floor. Berluti's Un Jour de Plus is a big, plain full-grain carryall for a laptop, documents and a water bottle; Zegna's Secondskin everyday bag is soft nubuck; and Dries Van Noten's glossed leather tote comes with a detachable crossbody strap. A soft tote slumps around its contents, so carry the laptop in a sleeve or a slim case.

• A navy blazer, gray flannel trousers, a white Oxford shirt, black penny loafers and a black leather tote.
• A camel overcoat, a cream cable-knit, gray trousers, dark brown suede chukkas and Loro Piana's Bale tote.
• An olive suede overshirt, an ecru crewneck, ecru jeans, brown loafers and Ferragamo's brown Hug tote.

Canvas and nylon totes for rain and long walks

Nylon is the commuter's material: light, quick to dry and easy to wipe. Prada's Re-Nylon is regenerated ECONYL nylon, which Prada's 2019 launch release says is made by recycling plastic waste from the oceans, fishing nets and textile fiber waste; a tote was one of the six launch styles. The Re-Nylon tote here has four outside zip pockets and a trolley sleeve. Saint Laurent's nylon Y tote is roomy, 18.1 inches wide by its listing, but it closes only with a hook, so keep valuables in a zipped pouch inside.

Canvas comes in two kinds, and they age differently. Coated canvas, like Burberry's check tote, wipes clean; its listing says it is sized for a 15-inch laptop and it zips shut. Cotton canvas is softer and absorbs stains, so choose it in black or a dark color if it will sit on a train floor. Tom Ford's east-west tote and Givenchy's canvas tote are cotton trimmed in leather, Thom Browne's striped tote fastens with a single button, and Loewe's Flex zipped tote lines its canvas in water-resistant nylon, though its suede front panel is the part to keep out of the rain.

• A charcoal crewneck, black jeans, a black topcoat, white leather sneakers and a black nylon tote.
• A navy chore jacket, a white T-shirt, ecru jeans, white sneakers and Thom Browne's natural canvas tote with its tricolor stripe.

Men's messenger bags, and what fits under the flap

A messenger has a flap and a long strap worn across the body, which leaves both hands free. Our stylists set the strap so the bag rests at the hip, not the thigh; lower than that and it knocks the knee with every step. They wear the strap over a coat rather than under it, and choose a smooth leather strap for a soft cashmere coat, which rough webbing rubs. Weight is worth reading too: Tom Ford lists its large Buckley suede messenger at 2.7 pounds before anything goes in.

The messengers in our edit all take at least a tablet. Loewe's Flex, in a nylon-and-cotton canvas with leather trim and a double-buckle flap, takes a 14-inch laptop. Givenchy's grained-leather flap-top bag is listed as the deepest, at 9 inches, which makes it the one for a 13-inch laptop and a sweater. Bottega Veneta's large woven flap messenger is lined in suede and, at 14.1 by 9.4 inches, is a tablet bag by our rule, a tenth of an inch short for a 13-inch laptop. Balenciaga's Superbusy, in waxed suede calfskin, has four zipped pockets on the front and a case for AirPods Pro, and its listing promises space for a phone, a book and a tablet. Berluti's Toujours is sized, by its listing, for a water bottle, a tablet and a novel. Dries Van Noten's antique-finished leather messenger is the widest, at 15.7 inches. For the coat it goes over, see our men's winter coats guide.

• An olive field jacket, a cream crewneck, ecru jeans, tan suede desert boots and Tom Ford's walnut suede messenger.
• A navy peacoat, a gray roll-neck, charcoal trousers, black Chelsea boots and Loewe's black canvas messenger.

Men's crossbody bags and camera bags

A crossbody is the weekend bag for the man who has run out of pockets: phone, wallet, keys and sunglasses. Saint Laurent's Paris Daily camera case, 8.3 inches wide by its listing, has a double zip on top; Bottega Veneta's small Intreccio crossbody is 8.9 inches wide under a magnetic flap; Ferragamo's Hug crossbody stands upright, 5.7 inches wide and 8.2 tall, with a buckled flap pocket on the front. Tom Ford's Alexander is listed at half a pound empty. Prada's nylon crossbody carries a small removable pouch on its strap for earphones or a card, and Valentino Garavani's suede bag has two card slots under its flap. The Row's Jerome, in grained espresso leather with a single zip, is the quietest of them.

In winter, wear it under an open overcoat so the coat hangs straight, or over a closed one with the bag in front, where you can see the zip.

• An espresso leather crossbody, a cream cable-knit, gray flannel trousers and chocolate suede loafers.
• A black camera bag, a black leather jacket, a white T-shirt, mid-blue jeans and black boots.
• A camel suede crossbody, an olive overshirt, ecru jeans and tan suede desert boots.

Belt bags and slings

The belt bag is rarely worn at the belt any more. Moncler's listing for its nylon Durance suggests three ways, around the waist, across the chest or on the shoulder, and Givenchy's grained-leather Fold belt bag comes with an adjustable strap for the shoulder or across the body. Across the chest it sits flat and stays in view; at the waist it looks best over a slim belt, not a bulky sweater. The belt bag was one of Prada's six Re-Nylon launch styles, and the Re-Nylon and Saffiano version here is the plainest. Loewe's Puzzle Edge, built from geometric leather panels, folds flat for packing, its listing says; Bottega Veneta's Veneto is woven espresso leather, Berluti's Rider is soft Venezia leather, and the nylon belt bags from Saint Laurent and Moncler are the ones to take on a flight. Alexander McQueen's T-Bar sling, cut from a single piece of calf leather by its listing, holds a phone and cards. Keep belt bags for weekends and travel days; they do not go with tailoring.

• A black nylon belt bag worn across a gray cashmere hoodie, black drawstring trousers and white sneakers.
• Bottega Veneta's espresso woven belt bag, an ecru fleece, olive cargo trousers and brown suede sneakers.

Designer backpacks for men

A backpack spreads a laptop's weight across both shoulders, which matters if you walk a mile to work or cycle. The trade-off is formality. Shoulder straps pull at the shoulders of a tailored jacket and crease a coat's back, so with a suit carry a backpack by its top handle into the meeting, or keep it for jacket-free days. Plain leather, suede and canvas read smart; roll-tops, webbing and logos read like the weekend.

Bottega Veneta's small Intrecciato backpack has a laptop compartment and a suede lining, though at 9.8 inches wide it takes only a 13-inch laptop by our rule. Prada's Re-Nylon backpack closes with a flap, a strap, a buckle and a magnet, and takes a 14-inch. The Row's Sisal, in cotton canvas, weighs a pound empty by its listing and takes a 15-inch Air; Tom Ford's Buckley, in suede trimmed with smooth leather, takes a 16-inch. Berluti's Time Off has a laptop pocket and, a nod to the house's shoemaking, a pocket for a shoehorn. Saint Laurent's canvas City is 8.6 inches deep, room for a sweater beside the laptop; Brunello Cucinelli's suede backpack adds magnetic side pockets, and Loewe's Flex roll-top, listed as water-resistant, adds a nylon lining and a laptop pocket, though its suede panels are best kept out of a downpour. If the backpack doubles as your personal item on a flight, our weekender guide lists the airline limits.

• A charcoal overcoat, a gray crewneck, black wool trousers, black leather sneakers and a black leather backpack.
• A sand suede backpack, an oatmeal knit, cream trousers and dark brown suede loafers.

The small pouch

After the laptop bag, a pouch is the most useful bag a man owns. It keeps cards, a passport and cables together, moves between bags in one go and stops small things sinking to the bottom. On its own, with a wrist strap, it carries a phone and keys to a holiday dinner when a tailored jacket's pockets are already full. Brioni's The Pouch, 11.4 inches wide in brown suede, has six card slots inside; Bottega Veneta's Intrecciato Prism pouch, in olive, also has six, plus a magnetic pocket on the front. Prada's Saffiano, Ferragamo's Star and Valentino Garavani's perforated pouches all have wrist straps. Saint Laurent's Cassandre envelope closes with a magnetic snap, The Row's flat leather pouch with a single snap, and Zegna's Secondskin pouch is soft nubuck.

Leather, suede, nylon or canvas: how each one wears

• Grained calf. Pebbled, hammered and pressed leathers hide scratches better than smooth ones, so they suit a bag that sits on a train floor. Ferragamo's hammered calf and Thom Browne's pebble grain are made for it, and Mulberry reinforces the Belgrave's corners, the first place a briefcase wears through.
• Smooth calf. Sharpest with a suit, and it shows every mark: a car-to-desk leather.
• Venezia leather. Berluti's tannery tans it twice, first with minerals and then with vegetable tannins, and leaves it without a finishing coat, so the grain shows and the leather takes on a patina with years of use.
• Suede and nubuck. Soft and warm-looking, and the least forgiving in rain. Zegna's care advice for its Secondskin nubuck covers both: protect it from humidity and direct heat, brush it with a soft bristle brush, and keep hand cream, sanitizer, cosmetics and perfume off it.
• Nylon. Prada's care notes for Re-Nylon: air the bag after every use, clean it rarely (which also limits microfiber shedding) and use a specialist ecological dry cleaner when it needs one.
• Canvas. Coated canvas wipes clean; cotton canvas softens and takes stains.

Empty a leather bag before you store it, then keep it in its dust bag somewhere cool, dry and ventilated, as Zegna's listing advises; a slim case left stuffed keeps the shape of what was in it.

Which bag suits which wardrobe

Start with how you dress four days out of five. Suit and tie: a briefcase, plus a slim case for days of meetings. A jacket without a tie: a leather tote. Knitwear, chinos and jeans: a canvas tote, a messenger or a backpack. Our men's work outfits guide dresses each of those offices, and our men's accessories guide covers the belt and watch that sit beside the bag.

Then the color. Vêtir's stylists keep the bag in the same family as the shoes and belt, black with black and brown with brown. With a navy suit they carry black or burgundy, and they save brown and tan leather for gray, cream, olive and ecru; with blue jeans they reach for a black, gray, olive or burgundy bag. If your closet is digitized, ask our AI stylist whether a black or a brown bag suits more of what you own.

Buy once, or enjoy for a season

Three bags earn their price over many years: a plain zip-top briefcase or tote in black or dark brown grained calf, a plain leather or canvas backpack if you walk to work, and a leather pouch. The one-season pleasures are fine if you buy them knowing it: an all-over logo print, a bright color, a studded strap, the shape of the moment.

The common mistakes:

• Buying a "messenger" for a laptop without reading its width.
• Carrying an open tote on a crowded train with the wallet loose inside; use a pouch.
• Owning only suede or pale cotton canvas in a city where it rains every week.
• Ignoring the empty weight: a laptop plus a heavy suede bag adds up by the end of the day.

How we chose

We started with the laptop: every work bag whose listing gives measurements was checked against Apple's dimensions by the rule above, and where a listing gave none we say so. Every size, weight, lining and pocket described here comes from the bag's own listing, and we looked at every photograph. Some picks did not survive it: a bag sold as an Intrecciato leather tote is, by its own listing, a mini 10.5 inches wide, and a briefcase listed as black photographed as dark green, so neither is here. One backpack listed as black photographed as navy, so we chose its black twin. The edit spans 22 houses, from a nylon belt bag under $700 to leather briefcases above $5,000, all new, none pre-owned. Browse every men's designer bag, or go straight to tote bags, crossbody bags, belt bags and backpacks.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best designer bag for a man?

For most men, two bags: one that takes their laptop (a briefcase for suits, a leather tote for a jacket without a tie) and a small crossbody or pouch for the weekend.

What size bag do I need for a 16-inch laptop?

Apple lists the 16-inch MacBook Pro at 14.01 by 9.77 inches. By our rule the bag should measure at least 16.5 inches wide and 11 inches tall on the outside. In this guide, Brunello Cucinelli's calfskin briefcase, Prada's Bonnie tote and Tom Ford's Buckley backpack are among those that qualify.

Is a messenger bag or a briefcase more professional?

A briefcase. It is carried by hand and keeps a suit jacket smooth; a messenger's strap pulls at the shoulder and reads casual, which suits an office of knitwear and odd jackets.

Can men carry a tote bag to work?

Yes. A plain leather tote with a zip or snap is standard business-casual carry; keep logo-print and beach totes for the weekend.

What color bag should a man buy first?

The color of the shoes you wear most. If that is black, buy a black bag; it also goes with navy, charcoal and gray. If it is brown, buy dark brown, which Vêtir's stylists wear with gray, cream, olive and ecru rather than navy or blue denim.

What designer bag is a safe gift for a man?

A pouch, a crossbody or a belt bag. None has a laptop to measure, and each gets used on the first weekend. Our holiday gift guide for him has more ideas.

Keep reading

• The best designer weekender bags
• Men's work outfits for every kind of office
• Luxury men's accessories
• The best work bags for women
• The holiday gift guide for him