Stylish backpacks, bowling bags and briefcases in which to stow your daily essentials.

All the to-ing and fro-ing is exhausting isn’t it? And made worse, these days, because there are so many bits and bobs the average man needs to have about his person at all times: the phone, the keycard, the wallet, the book, the tablet. Yes, life is pretty much unmanageable in 2018 without some sort of bag. But what kind?

At MR PORTER we have been thinking about this for a while, but, try as we might, we couldn’t settle on a one-size-fits-all option that’s right for everyone. After all, your carry-all needs are likely to differ widely depending on where you’re going, your office dress code and, ultimately, who you are and what you like. Which is why we’ve put our heads together and, with a little help from our favourite brands, come up with a new, curated range of on-the-go bags – 14 of them to be specific, and each one exclusive to us – that we hope will satisfy the most discerning men about town.

The on-the-go bags collection encapsulates everything from grown-up pieces such as the Tom Ford backpack above – our very own version of the designer’s ultra-refined Buckley silhouette – to more directional designs from Off-White, which has made us a roomy tote, helpfully labelled with Mr Virgil Abloh’s trademark quotation marks. As you scroll, you’ll see that we’ve taken the liberty of categorising each limited-edition style into broadly defined characters, but we are also well aware, like the proverbial square peg, round hole, that not every man can be pigeonholed by type. For instance, at work you might mean business, but come the weekend, Mr Street Smarts may be more your bag. Whatever you settle on, make sure you’re quick. We might just beat you to your favourite.

There are a few detractors who might think that streetwear is a little… sloppy. We’re pleased to point those naysayers in the general direction of Givenchy’s utility-inspired shell backpack. A slimmed-down and streamlined style, it’s certainly scene-stealing but also practical. Just look at all those pockets. If you’re after something a little more compact, head straight to Prada. With the trend for all things 1990s still going strong, it’s hardly surprising that the house has resurfaced its iconic nylon accessories, including the official bag of the moment: the belt bag. You might know it by the many aliases it’s adopted over the years – the crossbody, messenger or bum – but right now, it’s the pre-eminently stylish choice for getting around the city hands free.

These options are for you busy types who go to the gym at lunchtime, slot in meetings in the afternoon and head out for drinks in the evening. (How on earth do you do this, by the way?) Common Projects’ bowling bag, a characteristically minimal piece in smooth black Italian leather, is a multifunctional bag that will work well for stowing sneakers, shorts and a towel, but also looks refined should you feel the need to take it out later. If you’re a fan of its clean lines (and close to admitting to yourself that you never actually turn up to those Barry’s Bootcamp appointments you’ve booked in a fit of remorse), you’ll also want to take a look at the matching tote. Next up, Loewe. Expect silent nods of approval from fellow men about town when you’ve got the Goya two-tone backpack in tow. A completely unscientific survey of MR PORTER staff reveals a consensus: it’s really nice, both to look at and to the touch. And it’s got more going for it than that. The top cleverly expands to accommodate more cargo, so it could substitute for an overnight bag, should your dusk-till-dawn antics require one.

The best things in life don’t come free, but we think these bags, from two of Italy’s foremost luxury brands – Brunello Cucinelli and Bottega Veneta – are well worth the investment. The former, a generously sized holdall handcrafted at the brand’s Solomeo workshop, is made from butter-soft suede and topped with sturdy leather handles so you can utilise it as a weekend or in-flight bag. It’s certain to impress if you’re angling for an upgrade. Similarly, first-class ticket holders are likely to gravitate towards Bottega’s intrecciato leather laptop case, carefully embroidered with the house’s eye-catching Maze motif, which bears more than a passing resemblance to a certain retro arcade game. Who says a briefcase has to be all work and no play?

For creative types, the city is a playground and a workspace. An actual office, let alone a desk, is irrelevant, as long as you’ve got a decent Wi-Fi connection and are in close proximity to a coffee machine. And a good bag, of course. We hesitate to call this Bleu de Chauffe example a briefcase, since it’s unlikely to see the inside of a boardroom. In fact, you might even mistake it for a vintage medicine bag. The French brand specialises in heritage-inspired pieces, after all. Yet it comes equipped with all mod cons, including a special felt sleeve that’ll protect your laptop in transit. Along the same lines is Mulberry’s backpack. Inspired by styles in the brand’s archive, but very much the model of modern practicality, it’s rendered in tough Scotchgrain-coated canvas, which can take a fair amount of wear and tear, so you’ll still be sporting it for years to come.

There are briefcases and then there are Valextra briefcases, which in our opinion stand head and shoulders above the rest. The Italian brand has been responsible for eliciting oohs and aahs in offices for decades and, just for us, has created this very special version of an archival style. Based on the dimensions and design of classic doctors’ bags, it’s made from the luxury label’s signature cross-hatched leather, which, aside from looking very smart indeed, has the added benefit of being extremely resilient, so you shouldn’t feel too concerned if you find yourself stuffed like a sardine into a crowded Tube carriage. Not that Mr Business is likely to spend too much time on public transport. His driver has already brought the car around. He’s probably off to the airport. That’ll call for something a little larger, then. This Montblanc backpack, an amped-up version of the brand’s best-selling Extreme model, is perfect for frequent fliers. Made from hard-wearing leather, it unzips and expands so the resulting receptacle is big enough for a change of clothes, laptop and whatever else you’re taking along on your travels.

Shop all bags here