I've been looking for the perfect bag for 15 years. The only thing i've seen that was aesthetically close was a leather satchel that was not available/out of production as soon as i stumbled upon an image of it. I considered trying to commission someone to copy it, but doubted that person's comprehension of the 'design nuances' that made it appealing to me.
I want something that doesn't look like a camera bag, and doesn't look like a messenger bag. I have no interest in looking like a bike messenger, after spending 20+ years in midtown Manhattan, swarmed by the real thing. Why is this so difficult?
Problem is, there aren't any people with actual 'taste' working on this issue. Most of the 'solutions' look like they were either meant for:
• climbing everest in 2020
• climbing everest in 1944
• delivering contracts to an ad agency by a guy with dreads and 40 tats
• some Leica-toting, Dockers-wearing dentist's idea of Leather Luxury
• a fat, 1970s-era photojournalist, needing something to augment his khaki photo vest
• a non-fashion person's idea of what a fashion bag should look like.
I want something that can go from casual (jeans) to evening (blazer). Something with a little (understated) style. I barely even care about 'features.' But, aren't photographers among the most style-less people on the planet? Small market for what i'm looking for, apparently. At this point, i'm pretty sure i'm going to have to continue my strategy of adapting a bag with inserts and padding.
This is 'roughly' what i was after:
But, a bit smaller....