If you want to protect your laptop and valuables but don’t want to resort to something sartorially off-key by a humdrum IT accessory supplier then it’s time to seek out H by Harris, writes Guy Bird
Frustrated by the dearth of decent carrying cases for his personal laptop back in April 2007, London-born professional stylist Harris Elliot – behind the sharp looks of Mark Ronson, Scarlett Johansson and Ewan McGregor among others – decided to make his own. So at the end of a photography shoot one day he found some spare leather and created his own laptop satchel.
Getting considerable positive reaction from friends and colleagues he decided to develop a capsule collection and two years later in 2009 ‘H by Harris’ was launched. The result was a series of fulsomely quilted or ribbed leather and waxed Nubuck laptop cases and rucksacks and weekend bags in a mixture of simple black and brown to vivid orange and silver colours.
Cutting edge fashion stores like London’s Dover Street Market – incidentally also a stockist of handmade trainer brand Feit, previously recommended by this Lexus blog – quickly sold out of his initial range and other selected global shops followed suit in stocking the independent brand, from Harvey Nichols to Hong Kong’s Lane Crawford and Japan’s Edition.
Endorsement by a wide selection of the world’s best fashion and design magazines has been readily forthcoming from Esquire and GQ to Vogue and Wallpaper* and Harris has also since added iPad cases as well as clothing collaborations with other quilting specialists, including traditional British country wear-turned-contemporary-fashion-savvy brand Lavenham. However, the number of products made has been kept relatively low and the stockist list length short, to keep things personal, independent and exclusive.
And if you don’t find yourself in central London, Hong Kong – or indeed China or Japan – that often, fear not. H by Harris’ goods can be purchased online from a reasonable sub-£100 for some iPad cases to £499 for his signature quilted leather practical rucksack.Try luxury online retailer www.thenandnowshop.com or indeed easiest of all, go to H by Harris’ own website www.hbyharris.com where you can find out more.
Biog
Guy Bird is a freelance writer and editor specialising in cars, design and art for the likes of CAR magazine, Wallpaper* and Esquire. He attends the world’s auto shows from Paris to Tokyo interviewing the world’s best designers and has road-tested the vast majority of vehicles available in the UK over the last 18 years. www.guybird.com
