I have something of a soft spot for Eastpak. As a teen growing up in Brussels it was THE backpack of choice amongst my peers and I begged my mother to buy me one. I got my wish, in the form of a pale cornflower blue Padded Pak'r and, 18 years later, it's seen me through innumerable travels and house moves and is still going strong.
With another batch of trips coming up this summer I'm on the hunt for a bag that's practical and spacious but perhaps with an inkling more grown up glamour than my original blue number (which still bears its plaited ribbon zip pull and Year 9 graffiti scrawls). As soon as I saw the black leather Padded Pak'r I fell head over heels. A leather backpack? How chic. How lustful. How London. I need one in my life. I'm headed to Stockholm this weekend (keep your eyes peeled on the A Londoner Travels blog for an update in a few weeks' time), followed by France, Glastonbury, Ibiza, Cuba and South Africa in the next 12 months so with its padded straps and quilted laptop sleeve it's definitely going to be worth its weight in gold.
Whether or not it will rack up as many air miles as my original remains to be seen, but I sure as hell will give it a go.
Black Leather Padded Pak'r, £140 at www.eastpak.com
Love Laurel x
