A strange title trying to describe these Middle Eastern rug bags from our friends at A Kind of Guise. Not too long ago the brand made a run to the Middle East and purchased a wide selection of rugs from various countries. When they returned, the re-imagines the rugs into rucksacks; each with incredibly distinct looks and feel. As a fan of Persian rugs, I would have found this disruptive if not done so well. 100 bags are available from A Kind of Guise.

You would think that after more than three years of revival that the classic schoolboy backpacks – with their leather strappings and bonus hardware – would drop out of fashion. Clearly not, as more companies continue to push whatever they can from the forms. Jojo Messenger is right there with their current collection of bags for the Centre Commercial shop. Problem is: I feel like I have seen this look before. The canvas on the Jojo Messenger looks solid enough, but I would be more inclined to purchase this form if they were a bit more unique. We mention them as there may be those still looking to discover these classic forms. They’re made in France, for those looking to shop close to home. Find them at Centre Commercial.

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Another smart offering from Ally Capellino. The Richard satchel bag forms part of their ‘Conservative group’, nothing to do with the tories we assure you. This collection is a more refined, fancy pants selection of bags, or as Capellino describes them, “elegant investment bags in Italian veg tanned leather with contrasting bridle leather straps. Bags that age and soften beautifully, only improving with wear.” Contrast buckles, detachable cross body strap, top handle, constructed of veg tanned leather and Made in London. Find Richard over here.

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Property Of… is ready for the holidays with a wide selection under the “Work Bag” name. Take a look through the collection which brings a variety of forms including the briefcase, messengers and others all delivered in waxed cotton variations. Find them at Property Of…

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Qwstion have taken their most popular styles and made them monochrome friendly in this washed black fabric. Autumn Winter  takes a calmer turn with these back packs, laptop cases, wash bags and holdalls. The thinking is there’s too much glitz and colour around this time of year so best to keep things simple with an eyeball friendly tone that won’t make you look like a christmas decoration. Fair enough. More at Qwstion

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Outdoor bag maker, Jansport, goes premium in the right direction with their Carbon collection for Barneys. The Carbon collection brings five styles in black leather and canvas in blocked black leather, making them some of the best from Jansport in some time. The ruggedness of the outdoors is blended to work for the urban needs of most. A very slick, finished collection. Five forms of bags make up the collection, including two classics from the Jansport line as well as some new surprises as the Bruckner Tablet Case for your iPad needs. The Carbon collection from Jansport is available exclusively through Barneys stores and online.

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The Killim Project is A Kind of Guise’s latest venture. The German brand trekked to the middle east two years and bought a shedload of carpets, which must’ve been a nightmare to take back. From this collection they’ve created a small range of 100 bags, which are all handmade in their studio. They’ve even avoided the rope handles often used in duffle bags, so they won’t be digging into your shoulder blades. They’re available at the end of this month so be sure to check their website.

Take a leap to see the rest of the collection.

This week, Lexdray unveiled their Classified Collection of city proper bags and backpacks which feature a very considered set of notable hits and hardware. Their Boulder Pack is backpack favorite that works on and off the mountain. View the video for a look at the various pockets and pouches that make up the Boulder pack. Take special note on the hardware and proprietary systems built into it.  The Classified collection comes in black. For those looking for blues, check out the BTC x Lexdray bags.

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We tried to not give too much away with our Jack Spade Spring/Summer 2012 preview, but people got very interested in the postcard motifs. We’ll share all the accessories tomorrow, but for the moment, let’s focus in on their apparel, which bring seasonally proper looks that almost all gents can work with. The full-zip sweater and striped Milton and hoodie do the trick. Good to see Jack Spade continuing with garment end of their collection.

For those that missed it, you can view the Jack Spade Autumn/Winter 2011 garment collection.

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Holiday 2011 is getting closer by the day. From the fashion side of the season, we can expect a variety of specialty collections, including a fresh take from Pendleton. Pendleton’s collection for Eddie Bauer offers season-specific menswear including overshirts, bags, and scarves in iconic Pendleton patterns. While heritage is the trend, the true legacy players in this market continue to provide classic takes for all.

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