Best Custom Leather Messenger Bags in 2023

Item: Exquisite Slim Leather Laptop Briefcase
Rating: 5
Author: Albert Varkki

by Albert Varkki updated 07-07-2023

Table Of Contents

Stylish messenger bags made from full grain leather that can be customized with a monogram or laser engraving.

Ideal as a work briefcase, commuting bag, travel bag, or day-to-day purse.

Our selection below includes bags for men and women.

Best Custom Leather Messenger Bags

Here are our top picks for customizable messenger bags by type and style:

Best Slim Messenger Laptop Briefcase

Winner: Exquisite Slim Leather Laptop Briefcase

Pros:

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Exquisite Slim Leather Laptop Briefcase

Best for impressing clients with a sleek, professional look while carrying your laptop and documents - the Exquisite Slim Leather Laptop Bag.

Exquisite Briefcase Product Highlights:

Product	Exquisite Briefcase
Material	Full Grain Leather - Certified Vegetable Tanned
Laptop Size	up to 14 inch
Lining	Durable Cotton Canvas
Zippers	YKK Zippers - Italian-Made
Handmade?	Handmade in Florence, Italy
Straps	Detachable and Adjustable Shoulder Strap
Carry-on Compliant?	Yes
Width	40 cm (16 in)
Height	29 cm (11 in)
Depth	10 cm (4 in)
Weight	1.1 kg (0.5 lbs)
Personalization?	Custom Laser Engraving

Watch the Exquisite product video below:

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Albert says:

"This timeless men's bag for work is manufactured from premium Italian full-grain leather. It comes complete with a dedicated 14" laptop compartment that makes it easy for you to carry out your duties in the office and elsewhere. Noted for its slim, spacious design, the bag has a tough YKK zipper and durable cotton lining. The bag is designed to serve you well for years to come before you need to replace it. It will help you keep your business essentials safe and maintain a highly professional appearance. You can carry it with the robust handles or use the adjustable shoulder strap when a more casual look is required. It also has a durable cotton canvas lining."

Pros	Cons
Made of full grain leather	May have a slightly higher cost compared to other materials
Sleek and sophisticated appearance	Not completely waterproof
Slim design for easy portability	Limited storage space compared to larger bags
Durable and long-lasting construction
Multiple compartments for organized packing
Perfect for both casual and professional use
Develops a unique patina over time
Sufficient storage for laptop and essentials

Best Large Laptop Messenger Bag

Winner: CITY Leather Laptop Bag

Pros:

Full grain leather
Detachable shoulder strap.
Hand luggage compliant.
Fits up to a 15.6 inch laptop (also a 17 inch version here)
Handmade in Italy
Dedicated laptop compartment
Additional zipper pockets

Click here to check the price

Best Professional Messenger Bag

Winner: Essential Modern Briefcase

Pros:

Full grain leather
Detachable shoulder strap
15.6 inch laptop zipper pocket
Handmade in Italy
Can be personalized

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Best Satchel Style Shoulder Bag

Winner: No3 Leather Messenger Bag

Pros:

Available in black, brown, or tan leather.

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Best High End Designer Briefcase with Strap

Winner: No1 Premium Leather Briefcase

Pros:

Locking main comparment.
Useful easy access back compartment.
Full grain leather.
Handmade in Florence, Italy.
Soft cotton lining.
Durable YKK brass zippers.
15.6 inch laptop compartment.
Detacheable shoulders strap.
Can be personalized.
Available in black, brown, or tan leather.

Click here to check the price

Best Locking Messenger Briefcase

Winner: No2 Leather Messenger Briefcase

Pros:

Double key-lock main comparment with 2 internal dividers.
Zipped external back compartment.
Full grain leather, vegetable-tanned.
Handmade in Florence, Italy.
Soft cotton lining.
Durable YKK brass zippers.
15.6 inch laptop compartment.
Detacheable shoulders strap.
Can be personalized.
Available in black, brown, or tan leather.

Click here to check the price

Best Weekender Style Bag

Winner: Weekender Leather Travel Bag

Pros:

Full grain leather
16 inch internal padded laptop sleeve.
Internal zipped pocket for travel essentials like your passport.
Plenty of space for all your gear.
Adjustable shoulder strap.
Durable cotton lining and YKK zippers.
Perfect overnight bag.
Handmade in Italy
Can be personalized

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Best Garment Bag with Shoulder Strap

Winner: Grand Leather Garment Bag

Pros:

Full grain leather
Dedicated garment carrier.
Carry a suit and shirt without creasing.
Large main compartment for other items.
16 inch laptop compartment.
Adjustable shoulder strap.
Durable cotton lining and YKK zippers.
Handmade in Italy
Can be personalized

Click here to check the price

Best Convertible Messenger Backpack

Winner: 10X Leather Laptop Backpack

Pros:

Full grain leather
Can convert from backpack to shoulder bag
Fits up to 15.6 inch laptop or tablet.
Handmade in Italy
Can be personalized
Available in brown, tan, black, or red leather.
Unisex.

Click here to check the price

Best Modern Messenger Bag

Winner: Elegant Slim Briefcase

Pros:

Full grain leather.
Handmade in Florence, Italy.
Soft cotton lining.
Durable YKK brass zippers.
Minimalist design and profile.
14 inch laptop compartment.
Top handles & detachable shoulder strap.
Can be personalized.

It's available in black, brown, tan, and red leather.

Click here to check the price

Why Choose a Messenger Bag?

Custom leather messenger bags are stylish, practical, and perfect for those who want to move away from outdated laptop bags and over-casual backpacks.

They are this season's biggest bag trend. With plenty of space to carry your everyday essentials, they are ideal for commuters, sales professionals, and anyone who travels for work or leisure. And their versatile strap allows you to wear them in many ways.

How to Choose Your Bag

What Type of Leather Is Best?

Leather is one of the most versatile and hardwearing fabrics used in bag making today, but not all leathers are the same. Here we look at the most popular options used to make leather messenger bags to help you decide the best one for your next purchase.

Full-Grain Leather: If you want your messenger bag to last, full-grain cowhide leather is a perfect choice. It is thick and hardwearing, offers good weather resistance, and perhaps most importantly, it ages beautifully. If your budget allows, invest in a full-grain leather messenger bag - it could last a lifetime.

Top-Grain Leather: Top-grain leather is slightly thinner than full-grain leather, but that doesn’t mean it is not a good choice for your messenger bag. It’s more workable, so many manufacturers choose this type of leather for bags with unique designs or embellishments. Top-grain leather messenger bags are cheaper than full-grain models, so this is something to consider.

Genuine Leather: Be wary of messenger bags marked as ‘genuine leather’. They may be leather, but they are most likely put together with pieces of scrap leather, and as such, they rarely last. That’s not to say that all genuine leather messenger bags are poor quality, but you need to shop around to find a good one.

Suede & Nubuck Leather: Suede and nubuck leather messenger bags are luxurious but best reserved for occasional use. Why? They do not weather well, they can become patchy if used continuously for your daily commute, and lighter colors mark easily. If you are looking for a designer messenger bag for weekend breaks, suede and nubuck options are a great choice, but if you intend to use it regularly, go for a more robust leather.

Bag Sizing

Size matters when choosing your leather messenger bag, so consider this when shopping. Do you need to carry a laptop, files, schoolbooks, or baby accessories? Do you intend to use it as carry-on luggage for your next flight? Does it need to fit underneath your desk? Messenger bags come in various shapes and sizes, so make sure yours is a good fit.

Important Features

While many leather messenger bags have a single main compartment, others have RFID pockets, smartphone pouches, water bottle pockets, zipped pockets, and multiple interior dividers. So, remember to look at the inside of the bag before you click the ‘shop now’ button.

Also, consider the straps. Most messenger bags have a wide detachable strap that you can adjust for wearing as a shoulder or crossbody bag, but some have shorter carry handles.

Related:

Hardware

Hardware is something we rarely consider when comparing leather messenger bags, but it can make a big difference to the overall design and practicality of the bag. If you want quick and easy access to the main compartment, you may find zippers and buckles a chore. But if you carry expensive tech and confidential documents, you may find these invaluable safety features.

Designer leather messenger bags usually have gold or silver hardware, such as zippers, clasps, studs, and branding. One way to validate bag quality is to check the stitching around the hardware. If it is neat, secure, and finished to a high standard, you can be confident that your messenger will last.

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed our article on the best custom leather messenger bags.

If you have any questions or comments, contact us at info@vonbaer.com, or leave them in the comments.

Browse our other Travel pages here.

Author: Albert Varkki

Albert Varkki is the co-founder of Von Baer. He understands leather products as a consumer, supplier, and a manufacturer, helping you with the inside knowledge you need, to choose the perfect leather product for you.

We always aim to have the highest editorial standards, and only publish accurate information on our website.