Editors' Picks: 11 Favorite Urban Backpacks - Remodelista
Something must be in the air: We’ve all been ditching our shoulder bags and converting to backpacks. Lately, I’ve been admiring the work of Kika NY, a Brooklyn-based studio established by Kika Vliegenthart and Sabine Spanjer. The bag has two dividers (large enough to fit a 13-inch laptop) and a small pocket on the back panel; $335 from Kika NY. It wasn’t until Alexa saw the Building Block Rucksack in person (on someone’s back in the subway) that she realized just how much she loved it. It’s the kind of backpack that, with a slip of the extendable strap and flipped over to a single shoulder, could double as a bag for the evening; $530 from Building Block. Julie has her eye on the 12-inch-tall Mansur Gavriel Backpack, made from Italian vegetable-tanned leather and available in six colors (with contrasting interior); $745 from Mansur Gavriel. Francesca likes the Mercer backpack from State Bags. Julie is a fan of the lightweight, handmade nylon Hammer Backpack with leather handles from Tokyo-based company Postalco; it’s $618 from La Garconne. Margot says, “I’m a longtime backpack addict. I carry one every day, usually paired with a tote bag; the combo of bag in hand and bag on back feels perfectly balanced to me.” Her current pick: This Classic Backpack of waterproof sailcloth with leather detailing from This Is Paper of Warsaw, Poland; €120 ($150.64). Justine is a backpack lover (in fact, she has devoted an entire Pinterest board to various versions she admires). Her choice comes from the Netherlands. Christine’s go-to backpack is the Frances Waxed Cotton Rucksack in navy (shown here in olive) by Ally Capellino; £224 ($351.72). Sarah recently spotted (and admired) the Military Backpack in Nylon Canvas made by Yoshida for Margaret Howell. On Janet’s wish list: The navy and black Rucksack by Southern Field Industries is handmade in Saitama, Japan, by artisan husband-and-wife team Manabu and Keiko Okada.