Best designer backpacks 2022: The hands-free styles to invest in
These are the best designer backpacks to buy now and wear all year
The best designer backpacks offer both style and comfort for every day. Whether you're feeling the strain of lugging around daily essentials or simply want to be able to travel hands-free, a great backpack with high-quality finishes will up your style game and make life a little easier.
Backpacks have long suffered from a back-to-school reputation, but the best designer backpacks offer style and practicality with an added dose of luxury to boot. One of the best designer bag choices for those always on the go, a directional backpack is a great choice for those looking for the best designer bag for work.
As with most bags, the level of storage varies depending on the size you choose, but with designer backpacks part of the handbag trends 2022, there is a great selection around. Large iterations make for a good alternative to tote bags and will ensure that your not carrying all your essentials on one shoulder every day. With the same hands-free finish as a crossbody bag, a backpack is a little less dressy but still ideal for weekends or workdays.
Best designer backpacks 2022
The best designer backpacks are some of the most practical bags around. With plenty of different styles and sizes available, choosing the right bag for you will largely depend on end use. For those looking for the best backpacks for working women, you'll likely want a larger backpack that can fit essentials such as a laptop and even a spare pair of shoes. For those looking for a companion for those smart casual outfit ideas, there are plenty of smaller-sized bags that will carry phones, wallets and other basic must-have items.
When it comes to fabrication, buttery-soft leathers take the humble backpack silhouette to new heights and designers haven't compromised on hardware and design this season either. As the bag shape has been popularised on the runway, designer brands have worked out how to inject their signature bag details - from quilting to logo details into rucksack form to create the best designer backpacks, these are our favorites.
RRP: $2,490 / £1,750 | One of the best Saint Laurent handbags, the Joe backpack is a new release. And while Saint Laurent have immersed themselves in the backpack trend, this design still has the classic hallmarks from the French clothing brand, including gold YSL hardware and a quilted envelope flap pocket.
RRP: $1,807 / £1,300 | If you loved the Re-Nylon shoulder bag, try the backpack for style. In classic black with silver hardware this nifty design is ideal for ensuring every day is packed with style and practicality. A main body pocket, plus two buckle fastened external pockets delivers style and security in one.
RRP: $1,440 / £1,390 | When it comes to British designer brands, Burberry is one of the most well-known. With its distinctive heritage check pattern, this androgynous bag is smart enough to pair with fall outfit ideas for work and the neutral hues ensure it will work well with a Burberry trench coat too.
RRP: $1,450 / £985 | Italian luxury brand Ferragamo is sometimes overlooked when it comes to trending bags, but the brand has nailed the logo look from the fall 2022 fashion trends with this jacquard monogram backpack. One of the best designer backpacks this season, we love the vintage feel here.
RRP: $229 / £189 | Not only a legendary designer, Karl Lagerfeld's personal aesthetic was extremely well regarded. Celebrate the icon with this super cute black designer backpack adorned with a graphic drawing of Karl Lagerfeld. A great everyday piece it's one of the best price points in this list too.
RRP: $280 / £270 | Creator of some of the best designer crossbody bags, American clothing brand Michael Kors has shrunk its classic Rhea budget to create a micro version. Slotting into the current tiny bag trend, the extra small holds the absolute essentials and is great for a lighter evening out.
RRP: $3,752 / £2,800 | Remember the fabric sports bags you had for physical education at school? Well sports bags just got a whole lot more stylish. This buttery leather iteration up-styles the timeless silhouette, keeping the drawcord top for added security. Branding free, this is for those who love subtle luxury.
RRP: $1,085 / £1,050 | Creators of some of the best designer tote bags, this slick leather design is a great choice for those in need of a smart bag for the office or those wondering what to wear to a job interview, this gorgeous grain leather will offer an uplift to every day and is the sleekest way to carry essentials.
RRP: $2,710 / £1,880 | Looking for one of the best Louis Vuitton bags? This Montsouris PM features all the classic Vuitton hallmarks, from the neutral hues to the LV repeat monogram pattern and engraved leather buckle - there's no denying this bag's heritage. A great designer piece that won't go out of style.
RRP: $295 / £270 | Make a splash with a burst of dopamine dressing. This bold orange bag does come in black, or in a repeat logo pattern, but if you're after a statement-making style, then this could be the one. The additional charms add a point of difference and we love the sporty, ready-for-action feel.
RRP: $375 / £325 | A designer backpack you can wear all year, this color block design adds a certain polish to this laidback bag trend. With Sports Luxe set to be back in style for the fashion trends 2023, expect backpacks to play an important role in the months to come and the lighter hues ensure this style is ready.
RRP: $1,900 / £1,510 | A longer, more tubular silhouette, this luxe leather bag with tasseled front drawcord has a beautiful curved silhouette in super soft leather. With discreet metallic branding, this chic designer backpack is one that will never date. Despite the black hue, thanks to the shape it still packs a punch.
RRP: $1,685 / £1,630 | One of the best jewelry brands, you might not have considered Bvlgari for the best designer backpacks but this structured style with embossed logo, multiple pockets and ergonomically friendly angled zip is one of many accessory masterpieces from the fashion brand.
RRP: £3,980 / £2,600 | One of the best Gucci bags, this bamboo handled backpack is quite the centerpiece. In sky blue or white, this luxury accessory takes carrying your essentials to new heights. While it is visually striking it is also utterly practical and we love the additional, toggle fastened pockets to aid storage.
RRP: $476 / £479 | The best designer backpack for big kids at heart, Hindmarch is known for its playful design aesthetic and this black backpack stays true to the fun-first principle. Swapping googly eyes for a chic leather pair, this is the kind of backpack that will cheer up fellow commuters and colleagues.
RRP: $1,880 / £1,030 | With top designer stationery, this brand knows a thing or two about ensuring your work life looks utterly stylish and put together. This slick navy backpack has a padded section to house a 13inch laptop safely as well as an internal flap pocket and outer zipped patch pocket for excellent storage.
RRP: $1,875 / £1,250 | One of the best designer backpacks with a fashion forward flare, this grungy piece from Givenchy taps into this season's love of the '90s, as well as championing a mini silhouette. With discreet monogramming and statement, adjustable chain straps for a more comfortable wear.
RRP: $5,300 / £4,490 | One of the best Chanel bags. This backpack is undeniably Chanel. Featuring the brand's distinctive diamond quilting and gold hardware, this iteration has a more relaxed and sporty aesthetic that taps into fashion's current mood for style and design with a more laidback feel.
Is a designer backpack worth it
Depending on the end use and occasion, a designer backpack is certainly worth it. If you're looking to invest in a designer bag, but a backpack silhouette suits your needs and lifestyle better, then it will add instant polish to any look. Often in much more luxury fabrications, such as leather, a designer backpack is for those seeking a high-end design aesthetic without compromising on quality or style. While we would not recommend the best designer backpacks for activities such as camping, or hiking, where a sports backpack with high-performance qualities is needed, when it comes to style, they're unrivaled.
The best designer backpacks are a smart and stylish choice for those with an office commute that still want to dress to impress. If a tote bag feels uncomfortable to carry, a designer backpack offers the opportunity for greater comfort and style in one.
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What is the backpack trend
Born out of a desire for comfort and functionality, alongside growth in the athleisure and sports luxe aesthetic, backpacks have graduated into the big time. Spotted on numerous runways at the likes of Chanel and Versace, designers recognized a desire from consumers for practical style solutions. With the fashion trends for next year still embracing sporty styles, the backpack is definitely a bag that is here to stay.
Rivkie is a fashion editor, writer and stylist with twenty years' experience in the industry. Rivkie studied design and pattern cutting at the London College of Fashion, and fell in love with styling and journalism, and has covered fashion weeks in London, Paris and New York, as well as shooting editorial all over the world.
Specialising in plus size fashion, Rivkie has long championed that style is for everyBODY and has appeared on a host of radio stations and television shows, pushing for greater representation for plus size women and fashion throughout her career.
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