Here in the lifestyle section, we get bombarded with accessories left and right made especially for the iPhone and the iPad. We love these accessories as much as anyone else, but what happened to cases and bags for those of us who still have to carry around actual laptops on a daily basis? Well, lucky for us, there are still plenty of good laptop-bag-makers out there, including the stylish and sophisticated brand Knomo London. The brand makes luxe bags and cases focused on laptops for both men and women, and we got a chance to get our hands on one of the designs for the ladies.
The Knomo Avignon Slim Brief ($100) is a sleek and sophisticated quilted laptop case that will carry your 13 or 15-inch laptop in style. It has both top handles and a detachable shoulder strap, faux-leather accents, a zip top, and two large side pockets to carry laptop accessories or other daily essentials that might otherwise go in your purse.
The bag looks fairly simple, but the devil is always in the details. Knomo bags all feature 15mm-thick high density shock-resistant foam to keep your laptop safe and protected from any bumps or falls. The inside is lined with soft fabric and has a unique Knomo tracker ID tag that will help the company get your bag back to you should you lose it. If found, someone can call the number listed on the ID tag and Knomo will trace the bag back to you. The company also offers a 2-year guarantee on each bag for possible defects in materials or craftsmanship, so you can be sure that your bag will last you until you trade in for a newer computer.
For the style of bag, we were very impressed with the construction of the Avignon Slim Brief and the overall high-quality feel. The outside nylon, faux-leather trimming, and the inside fabric all feel like high-end materials, and we like the cranberry-colored contrast lining in the purple version we tested out. The bag fit our 15″ laptop perfectly and the front and back outside pockets were definitely big enough to hold a charger, notebook, smartphone, wallet, and a few other essentials. We like this detail because often bags that look like laptop sleeves, as this design does, don’t allow any room for any extras.
Our only complaints about the bag are that the shoulder strap isn’t as nice-looking as the rest of the bag and attaches to the bag in strange spots, and that the black trim isn’t real leather. The faux-leather that is used seems to be good quality, but for the price tag real leather would be nice. Other than those small details, this is a bag that we would definitely recommend for women who need to carry a laptop on a daily basis but still want something that’s stylish and doesn’t scream “laptop bag.” It wouldn’t be a great choice for someone who has a ton of other stuff to keep in the bag, as it is a ‘slim’ design, but it’s perfect for a simple laptop carrier with room for just a few extras.
The bag comes in several different colors and is also offered in a quilted wool felt version.
