Five beautiful bags that also get the job done

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Over the past decade, as I’ve curated this annual list of best bags, there’s been a strong focus on utility. But this year, bag designers are eager to create bags that make a statement, while also improving women’s lives with useful features.

In some ways, the bag industry is coming full circle. When I first started working on this list, the bag industry was dominated by big brands like Coach and Kate Spade that were more concerned with fashion than function. But then, a new generation of direct-to-consumer brands like Dagne Dover, Cuyana, and Senreve popped up, creating bags full of features like laptop and water bottle sleeves that helped women get through busy days. In some ways, these startups changed the entire universe of bag designs. “Now, functionality is table stakes for bag designers,” says Karla Gallardo, co-founder and CEO of Cuyana. “The trick is creating a highly functional bag that’s also spectacular.”

Many new bags on the market today are meant to stand out and allow the wearer to express herself. They come in architectural shapes, with interesting silhouettes. But they are all designed to get you from packed days at work to the weekend to your long flight. Here is our pick of the best work-life bags of 2025. And they all happened to be created by women-owned startups.

Cuyana

Mila Satchel, $798

If you’re looking for a bag that will make an impression, consider the Mila. It’s the kind of structurally gorgeous bag that will elevate your look as you go in to an important board or investor meeting.

Cuyana spends many years designing bags, then testing them with customers to continue making tweaks and improvements. This particular bag is specifically designed for travelers. It has a travel sleeve that fits over luggage and importantly, it has a wide base so it can sit under the seat in front of you. And you can carry it two ways, with the wide short handles or with a strap that you can clip on.

When it opens, everything is easily accessible and visible. There’s a slot for your laptop, as well as pockets for your phone and a clip for your key. You can even purchase a clutch that clips into Mila, so you can leave the big bag at home and take the smaller bag out to dinner. The whole system is designed to save you time on high-pressure days.

Parker Thatch

Jane, starting at $698

These days, with hybrid work, the amount we need to carry every day varies tremendously. Some days, you need to carry your laptop and files, the next day, you might just need a wallet and chapstick.

Parker Thatch, a California-based label, believes your bag should magically shrink and expand depending on what you’re doing for the day. That’s precisely what it has achieved with its Jane bag. It’s made from soft, buttery leather that can fit a large laptop. But when the bag isn’t full, it collapses in an elegant way that gives you a relaxed, put together look.

It comes in a wide range of colors to suit different aesthetics. The navy and espresso will fit into a more formal workplace, but you can also opt for leopard print, platinum, or camo with a red stripe if you want to go bolder.

Clare V.

Bateau Tote, $475

For another collapsible bag, Clare V.’s Bateau tote also has an amazing ability to transform. On the surface, it has a simple tote silhouette that can fit a laptop along with everything you might need for your workday. It has an over the shoulder strap for easy carrying.

But when you don’t need to fill it up, can collapse the tote into a much smaller bag by bringing the two edges together. You can then carry it with short handles which happen to have the word “Ciao” on them, in a quirky bohemian style Clare V. is known for.

This tote is very practical, but it is also fun and unique. As icing on the cake, this bag has a gorgeous texture that weaves two colors of blue together to create a checker pattern.

Oleada

Wavia Bag Plus, starting at $635

If you need to head to the office every day and are constantly on the road for business trips, you need a bag that will allow you to easily carry a lot of heavy items, including your laptop and documents. There are many travel brands that sell products that do the job, but they don’t look stylish.

Oleada’s Wavia bag wants to be both. It has clean lines and a curved wave design, and it is packed with useful features. It can be carried as a backpack, a shoulder bag, a cross-body and a handbag. It has a luggage sleeve that allows you to put it on your rolling luggage. And even has a lock closure to keep the bag securely closed.

Since the bag is designed around your laptop, it comes in two sizes: 13 inch and 16 inch. You can get it in either leather or a vegan synthetic material that comes in a wide range of colors. And importantly, no matter what material you choose, the bag is very light, weighing in at around 2 lbs.

Linquist

Hilma, $750

Linquist, a studio studio based in Rhode Island, creates bags that are inspired by works of art. The Hilma, for instance, is designed around by the pleasing shape of an ellipse, with an oval base and a gradually widening top. The bag is named after Hilma af Klint, a Swedish artist who was among the first abstract artists in Western art history. Her paintings are grounded in geometric shapes, exploring how these figures appear both in the body and in the natural world.

The Hilma bag is big enough to get you through busy days, and it is designed to be worn for a long time. It is handmade in Rhode Island by a team of artisans, and crafted from full grain Vachetta leather that is not treated with preservatives or chemicals. Over time, the material is designed to patina as it is exposed to your hands and the elements. It comes in a wide array of colors, but because it is made in small batches, different colors are available at different times.

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