Carl Friedrik palissy slim leather briefcase
- Size: 41cm x 31cm x 9cm
- Colourways available: Four
- Why we love it
- Plenty of room
- Sleek design
- Take note
- Less luxe hardware
The major benefit of this briefcase is how much room there is inside. It fits a work laptop, wallet, toiletries (such as suncream, hand cream and lip balm), a water bottle, notebook, keys, pens, papers, a Kindle, a reusable shopping tote... and there’s still plenty of room left. This is what we are looking for when it comes to work bags, as some briefcases will fit a laptop and not much else – and we definitely don’t want to lug a hefty duffle bag in and out of the office.
This briefcase’s thick strap is comfortable when carrying the bag on your shoulder, although we preferred just using the top handles, but that is a personal choice. There is a handy front pouch, too, with a trendy mesh panel that makes it super easy to hold a travel card, so you don’t have to unzip the main compartment and root around inside while you’re on an escalator heading for the Tube.
Inside the bag, there’s a large slot in which to house a laptop; slots for pens; one larger zipped compartment to keep possessions safe, and three smaller slots that can fit an array of items for optimum organisation.
The quality and craftmanship is of a very high standard, with precise stitching and sturdy leather. The zipped compartment inside provides peach of mind when it comes to keeping valuables safe, too. It definitely feels secure, which is essential when travelling and commuting. However, when you need to, the mouth of the bag can open nice and wide for easy access and full visibility inside the bag.
There is a luxurious leather panel inside, with the brand name and serial number, that details the bag is handmade in Italy with vachetta leather – a high-quality and tough material.
One downside is that the hardware is slightly different in person, compared with the imagery on the website. It is matte, as opposed to shiny polished metal, and there are very slight differences in the style. The overall effect makes the hardware feel slightly less luxe in person visually, but it still feels good quality to the touch.
This is definitely an investment piece but a good work bag should pay off in terms of cost per use. But a bag at this price point should last decades, which is why there is a lifetime guarantee on Carl Friedrik pieces, so you can send your bag in for repair for life. There is also 100 days to test your bag, with a money-back guarantee if it’s not right for you.