Rummage around the masculine kit, and you will find that man-bags are the fashion item that have evolved the most over the last five years.
Once, anything but a briefcase was seen as too feminine by fellas.
Today, guys are carrying gym bags, messengers, totes and even clutches.
Celebrities including actor-singer Jared Leto, actors Jake Gyllenhaal and Tom Hanks and rock legend Mick Jagger showed men how to get a grip on bags. They have been regularly photographed grasping their murses (fashionspeak for man purses).
English leather house Mulberry, which was at the forefront of introducing the trend, saw a 64 per cent increase in sales of men's bags in spring/summer 2006 compared to the year before, according to Britain's Guardian newspaper.
Men's bags contributed a hefty 30percent of the brand's sales in 2008, reported the British edition of men's magazine GQ.
This spring/summer season, man-bags are loading up big time on bold looks.
Here are three key trends - kooky colours, sporty style and the return of the backpack.
BACKPACKS
The pragmatic porter was elbowed out of the way with the popularity of tote and messenger bags, but now it has made a surprise return. It has had a luxe makeover and is now suitable for both work and play.
Men with bags of style will lust after Louis Vuitton and Burberry Prorsum's structured leather versions with clean lines and subtle details like buckles and straps.
The former features its signature Taiga calf leather and exotic ostrich skin.
Even affordable nylon versions come sleek and chic. Less is more with Adidas SLVR's and Topman's minimal black and brick red versions with white tags and trims.
SPORTY STYLES
Designers flexed their creative muscles this season on sports bags. Key man-bag styles from major fashion houses like Prada, Gucci, Givenchy and Balenciaga are all sport-infused.
Balenciaga's signature courier sling bag, for example, is covered with a mesh material for the first time. Prada and Givenchy combined athleticism with formality by covering all-leather holdalls with fine perforations.
Straps and buckles pump up the sports cred of Gucci's white leather messenger-meets-tote bag.
To steal the luxe gym look for less, opt for Topman's deep red and black barrel-shaped holdall, which boasts a similar rugged yet refined look.
COLOURS
Men can flaunt their own eye candy just like the women - with bright-coloured bags.
Italian label Bottega Veneta, which usually steers clear of loud colours, coated a luxurious croc-skin tote in turquoise. Even its basic brown bags come with bold streaks in hues like fluorescent yellow.
Orange and red give Prada's signature saffiano leather totes a playful twist, while cobalt blue adds zing to Gucci's all-leather duffel bag.
Guys who want high voltage for less can opt for Uniqlo's purple leather tote or Adidas SLVR's spiffy red number.
ianlee@sph.com.sg
This article was first published in Urban, The Straits Times.
