QQUESTION | In this new hybrid work model, my colleagues and I are expected to take our laptops home at the end of the day. I need a handbag that can fit said device and other bits and pieces – lunch, for instance – and also looks office-appropriate. Does such a thing exist? – Totally lost
Dear Tote-ally lost,
There’s room for everything in this Yu Mei Esse tote in black.
I hear you. I once carried a backpack to work, loaded with my own laptop, spare pair of shoes and lunch, only for a colleague to snigger at the sight of it. My osteopath might have cheered my back-friendly choice, but I think he was alone.
Never mind because yes, work-appropriate bags are out there.
Yu Mei is a New Zealand-based brand from Jessie Wong, who had a similar problem sourcing a chic, utilitarian handbag she could afford on a student’s budget while at university. She couldn’t find one, so she made her own. Eight years later, Wong’s bags are stocked by David Jones and Farfetch, among others, and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern carries one (she even took it to the White House with her).
Wong’s bags are made of offcuts of deer nappa, a buttery soft leather that would otherwise go to waste, in colors that extend beyond black and brown. There are options for men and women, and Yu Mei’s website includes a helpful guide to packing your bag for work.
Elsewhere, you might like to try Vestirsi, an Australian start-up that specializes in luxury bags without luxury prices. Made in Italy with Italian leather, the bags are functional and stylish, without logos or excessive fuss. I am a big fan.
Dress’s roomy Jillian tote in beige.
There is also Senreve, founded by former tech consultant Coral Chung, who wanted a beautiful bag that was bigger than a postage stamp. Senreve has a distinctive envelope style and comes in a variety of sizes, leather finishes (including vegan) and colors. It also, helpfully, ships to Australia.