There are days I don’t want to carefully curate what I carry — or when I’m the packhorse for the family and everything just gets thrown in. It’s days like this that call for this tote.

Some of you might remember my previous brand, Workbelt, where I had a similar lined tote called The Ninja. I originally designed it as my baby bag — an alternative to the complicated, stuffy ones on the market. This is a more refined version of that design: relaxed in spirit, and refined in nature.

I use a very high quality Italian upholstery leather so the bag drapes effortlessly and wears with quiet elegance. The proportions are generous, the design intentionally pared back. A zipped interior pocket offers discreet storage, while the extra-wide straps, cut from sturdy vegetable-tanned leather, bring balance to its soft, fluid form.

One of the most challenging elements is using the hide wisely — the two large panels for the front and back must come from the strongest, least blemished sections of leather. It’s an expensive exercise, so I’m always thinking about how to design pieces that can make use of the offcuts in a considered way.