When designer backpacks once again swung back into fashion a few years ago, you guys were mostly skeptical. Which is a healthy response any trend, really, because sometimes it’s hard to tell which ones crop up to satisfy a genuine consumer desire and which ones are manufactured by large companies looking to sell you yet another type of bag. Based on the backpack’s unwavering popularity in designer circles, though, I think we can safely say the bags’ favor falls firmly into the former category.
Although people sometimes protest that backpacks feel too juvenile to be luxurious, it’s not hard to see why they might be popular on a functional level: they’re hands-free, often lightweight and generally among the less expensive options in a designer’s bag lineup. They usually carry more than a crossbody bag while still being just as practical and useful. That’s especially true in summer, when activities are more likely to lead family and friends outdoors and to situations that require a lot of walking and standing: music festivals, park days, things like that. Earlier this week, Megs even extolled the virtues of a backpack diaper bag.
Below, we’ve selected nearly two dozen of the best backpack options on the market right now, starting with a couple below $100—one of the best things about backpacks is you really, genuinely don’t have to spend a lot of money for them to look great.
Baggu Mini Backpack
$320 via Shopbop
Balenciaga Everyday Backpack
$1,790 via Net-a-Porter
Botkier Waverly Backpack
$298 via Nordstrom
Burberry Rucksack
$1,495 via Nordstrom
Chanel Sequin Backpack
$3,400 via Chanel
Chloé Faye Backpack
$1,850 via Net-a-Porter
Cleobella Ynez Backpack
$262 via Shopbop
Dagne Dover 365 Dakota Neoprene Backpack
$175 via Nordstrom
Fendi Backpack
$2,850 via Fendi
Gucci Print Drawstring Backpack
$1,980 via Gucci
Hermès Soie-Cool Backpack
$2,200 via Hermès
Herschel Supply Co. Grove X Small Backpack
$55 via Shopbop
Ivy Park Parachute Strap Backpack
$75 via Nordstrom
KARA Shearling Backpack
$495 via Net-a-Porter
Kate Spade Watson Lane Hartley Backpack
$178 via Shopbop
Louis Vuitton Palm Springs PM Backpack
$2,220 via Louis Vuitton
Mansur Gavriel Mini Backpack
$795 via Net-a-Porter
MCM Small Stark Backpack
$750 via Nordstrom
Nico Giani Hoodia Backpack
$470 via Net-a-Porter
Prada Etiquette Backpack
$1,550 via Nordstrom
Rag and Bone Field Backpack
$750 via Nordstrom
Saint Laurent Mini City Backpack
$1,450 via Nordstrom
ZAC Zac Posen Eartha Backpack
$450 via Nordstrom
