Gucci, the well-sought after Italian fashion designer brand and hand-crafted leather accessories manufacturer has relaunched their classic backpack for 2015. Now there is a generous use of full calf leather that creates a stronger, more refined look and feel.
A bolder and stronger, even more masculine presence is brought out by the full calf leather, solid black top flap. This complements nicely with the classic signature Gucci canvas to soften the classic backpack's metro look. The top carry handle is now solid leather in black color and remains sizable and comfortable. The front glossy silver buckle continues to carry the Gucci logo. The pull strap and inner top cover are all black and have a stronger construction.
The back is now an air mesh nylon fabric for more breathability. This is a nice feature for walking the covered paths of Singapore, especially in the morning when the pace is more brisk and you are walking just below that for breaking a sweat! The air mesh will help ensure your shirt is fresh and dry. Replacing the Gucci light-coloured canvas at the back also reduces the area where friction could cause stains or blemishes to the pristine printed Gucci-logo canvas. The shoulder straps are now much sturdier in construction, and feel more secure when carrying the bag on your back. This was one significant concern I had with a number of Gucci backpacks which thankfully, they have now addressed!
The pack bottom is now black canvas. This is an elegant and functional touch. It adds to the striking redesign, and also eliminates an area that could dirty or blemish the Gucci canvas. It also means you can put your bag down on a carpeted floor without cub concern for dirt and smudges. Notice the front pocket for small urban gear. This is a full and sturdy pocket construction unlike on the half-moon Gucci canvas backpack, and I prefer this pocket construction.
The inner lining is now more luxurious through using thick, supple, dark brown, suede, unlike the former thin, light-coloured cotton fabric that felt too flimsy for me, This upgrade has definitely upped the level of this bag!
All of these features comes at a handsome sum of SGD 1,900, As compared to the original Gucci backpack priced at SGD 1,600, I'd say this is a strong, solid choice. This Gucci backpack model at this price gets a double thumbs up from me! So go ahead and purchase if you're in the market for this kind of bag. I'm also thinking if I should already get one for myself!
And thank God for the designers and innovators who keep coming up with better and better models for us to choose from!
