Briefcase Appreciation thread

[Epicure]

I just had to reply that my experience with the Frank, Ian & Co. has been the polar opposite of yours. I bought a Compass duffel and a double gusset Zip Top brief in Chocolate Shrunken, and then returned a year later for an Aiden duffel for short trips. Then to extend my range, I recently bought a small duffel, customized with a second inside pocket to double as a brief case or second travel or camera bag for longer trips. All chocolate shrunken. I have visited Fall River, met Frank and Ian & Co., looked at all the products in the show room and the work in process, and I have been very pleased at every turn, with the products and the service.

I have also met and liked the Glasier Designs people in San Francisco, and and liked their products but they never quite made me reach for my wallet like a Frank Clegg bag. I would not hesitate to buy whichever fits your personal style.

Also, I have the Frank Clegg wallet and other accessories. In short, I am a big fan.

sc

Perhaps if I'd been a local customer I may have had a different experience.
Glad to hear your experience was much better than mine.

 

[s4awd]

Went to London on business trip and while on my way to the boots drug store I happen to walk through a passageway and saw the SAB shop. It was small but had some great stuff. The main briefcase display was in the basement. The selection was small in terms of colors available to see but the salesperson was super helpful. (Don’t make your decision by looking at the sample color swatch. )

I ordered a short strap Westminster

The good: Great sales staff and and great products.

The bad: Poor communication over email. They take weeks to respond and the bag took over 5 months to deliver which they said was due to quality issues.

In the end though they did deliver and the end product is beautiful

 

[razl]

Beautiful indeed; congrats!

In the end though they did deliver and the end product is beautiful

 

[Lighthouse]

I'm venturing into the world of English Bridle Leather briefcases. I fancy a double or triple gusset, and thus far Hrothgar, Pierpont (maybe a bit out of my budget), Niestroj, Leflin, and Allen Edmonds are on the list of prospective vendors.

Thanks everyone contributing to this thread as your information and photographs are saving me a lot of work.

My question: Would a navy blue bag bridge the gap when I'm wearing chestnut, brown, merlot, and the like, as well as black? My gut instinct is that black shoes/belt/watch strap will require a black briefcase. Thoughts?

Thanks gents.

 

[takashi78]

To me i think people are way overthinking this matching colors with everything.
I can only afford one briefcase, and i use it with everything i wear LOL.
Granted i choose a natural leather and after 2yrs plus it has darken a lot.

 

[Lighthouse]

Hartmann seems to have moved on from bridle leather briefcases, focusing on softer goods. : (

 

[sclemmons]

I'm venturing into the world of English Bridle Leather briefcases. I fancy a double or triple gusset, and thus far Hrothgar, Pierpont (maybe a bit out of my budget), Niestroj, Leflin, and Allen Edmonds are on the list of prospective vendors.

Thanks everyone contributing to this thread as your information and photographs are saving me a lot of work.

My question: Would a navy blue bag bridge the gap when I'm wearing chestnut, brown, merlot, and the like, as well as black? My gut instinct is that black shoes/belt/watch strap will require a black briefcase. Thoughts?

Thanks gents.

I have carried tan by Renwick and Tanner Krolle, black from Tumi, and brown from Frank Clegg. I got a lot of wear out of the black Tumi leather. Nowadays I am partial to Frank Clegg Chocolate Shrunken. It goes well with any light or dark brown or dark shoes. There is no way I would ever buy a navy bag. If I ever do another bridle leather, it will be as dark as possible either in brown or black. I got the Frank Clegg Chocolate Shrunken (now it is Bison on their site) because I did not want it to show water spots from rain or sweat. I don't like the look of new attention-grabbing Swaine Adeney bags, and I hate to see them develop spots. So I went in the direction of the Frank Clegg shrunken in chocolate. I have been very happy with them.

 

[Lighthouse]

I have carried tan by Renwick and Tanner Krolle, black from Tumi, and brown from Frank Clegg. I got a lot of wear out of the black Tumi leather. Nowadays I am partial to Frank Clegg Chocolate Shrunken. It goes well with any light or dark brown or dark shoes. There is no way I would ever buy a navy bag. If I ever do another bridle leather, it will be as dark as possible either in brown or black. I got the Frank Clegg Chocolate Shrunken (now it is Bison on their site) because I did not want it to show water spots from rain or sweat. I don't like the look of new attention-grabbing Swaine Adeney bags, and I hate to see them develop spots. So I went in the direction of the Frank Clegg shrunken in chocolate. I have been very happy with them.

Thanks. I'll check out your leads. Also looking at Narragansett per Jr. Mouses' posts.

 

[Jr Mouse]

To me i think people are way overthinking this matching colors with everything.
I can only afford one briefcase, and i use it with everything i wear LOL.
Granted i choose a natural leather and after 2yrs plus it has darken a lot.

I tend to agree. Get a color you love that goes with clothes you enjoy wearing. I enjoy and wear shades of brown far more often then black, so I prefer bags that are shades of brown. If it doesn’t go perfect with occasional outfit featuring black shoes... oh well.

@Lighthouse shoot me a PM. I’ve done a tone of research on briefcases and might be able to help you narrow things down.

 

[ThinkDerm]

talk with parker pierpont. good guy!

 

[razl]

I tend to agree. Get a color you love that goes with clothes you enjoy wearing. I enjoy and wear shades of brown far more often then black, so I prefer bags that are shades of brown. If it doesn’t go perfect with occasional outfit featuring black shoes... oh well.

+1, exactly what I would have said.

I would only add that earth tones have a wide tonal range - tan, brown, espresso, etc. - while black is either black or it isn't (the OP didn't say "grays", he said black). If you're in an environment where you do regularly wear black, you need a black briefcase. If it's more like the odd black or charcoal, then get a dark brown - a nice one should be able to double duty on both sides of the spectrum well.

 

[rossyl]

Personally, I like the orange, but it depends on the message you wish to convey. If this will be used in very conservative work environments the grey is probably better.

I would do the orange, but that’s for me.

I agree - I would do the orange to stand out and be different from the crowd, but that's personal preference. To me, a full grey suitcase is mundane, but like quoted, could be perfect for your work/use environment. I do wish the orange was subtler - almost as if they used that as the edging or the stitching!

Practically:
Understated is going to age better. If you're planning on keeping this a while, you'll grow tired of the orange much before you grow tired of the matching tone. It's a bit visually exhausting. If you have a collection of briefcases, or at least more than one (and don't mind switching), I'd consider orange.

Metaphysically:
I'm of the thought that a contrasty interior is cool because it's 'for you' - as you'll be the only one that'll regularly see it. This is why I offer all of those crazy colors for the interior of some of our bags. It represents that these details matter to you even if the outside world doesn't get to see it. It adds depth, more character than it initially lets on.

As soon as you show the hint of color on the outside, it means something else entirely.

So, generally, I'd recommend keeping the colors for yourself and those close enough to see. But there's definitely a place for everything.

If it's going to be your primary/only bag, get the gray. If you've got a couple already and this is just going to be one in rotation occasionally, get the orange.

The orange everyday screams a bit too much "look at me!" but only seen once in a while it's saying "I felt frisky this morning".

It's settled. Buy both. No struggle.

My main thing is shoes. If I am deciding between 2 pairs, I just buy them both.

I have 2 work bags I use. 2 more are on stand by. Can never have enough.

If it's going to be your primary/only bag, get the gray. If you've got a couple already and this is just going to be one in rotation occasionally, get the orange.

The orange everyday screams a bit too much "look at me!" but only seen once in a while it's saying "I felt frisky this morning".

Thanks all. Your excellent advice and thoughts really helped.

I had the orange in my hands for a few days, but swapped it for the gray. The orange was just a bit "showy" for an everyday bag and made me feel a little self-conscious.

It is such a lovely bag, great structure to it.

I chose it over others as it looks like a formal and smart bag, what gives it this formality, i think, is its rigid structure. It makes it more akin to a proper briefcase. Like a modern update to a briefcase.

Many of the softer bags I thought looked more casual. Also, and the thing I was desperately trying to avoid, is that many of the softer bags look like laptop bags. Granted posh laptop bags, but a laptop bag nonetheless. That's why I didn't go with a Tusting (Langford model) or a Pickett, or a number of others that I looked at.

This is bag could not be further from that.

 

[razl]

Thanks all. Your excellent advice and thoughts really helped. I had the orange in my hands for a few days, but swapped it for the gray.

Congrats! However, I just realized that it was never said what maker/model of bag it was, would you mind sharing?

 

[Jr Mouse]

talk with parker pierpont. good guy!

He really is. I’ve chatted with him a few times and appreciated his willingness to share his insight. Very knowledgeable of the craft and he does good work.

 

[rossyl]

Congrats! However, I just realized that it was never said what maker/model of bag it was, would you mind sharing?

Here you go...

https://www.carlfriedrik.com/products/palissy-briefcase-slim-leather-briefcase?variant=35918593744