Bag for life

Well, if you – like most people in the UK (including me) – don’t own a car, you can still throw your miscellaneous, necessary, unnecessary summer articles onto hot car leather, except in the portable shape of a tote bag. Connolly, the famous heritage car-leather turned leather-goods and clothing brand, has come out with the XL Tote of summer 2025. The bag, designed by Couli Jobert – the brand’s in-house bag designer – with experience at both Margiela and Hermès, developed the tote using a printing technique on a water repellent coating to resemble the 50s classic Connolly leather Vaumol Luxan grain finish. As she explains: “the grained canvas is inspired by the all-weather leather found on the hoods of the first motor cars... whether your adventure is in the city or on the beach”. Its XL size is for summer days you don't want to end, letting you carry everything you need to stay out.

Starting almost 150 years ago, Connolly initially evolved to become a globally-renowned supplier of highly-finished leather for the automobile industry, supplying leather seating for Rolls Royce, Bentley, Ferrari, and Aston Martin, as well as upholstery for the House of Commons, the House of Lords, the desks of the British Library, and even the late Queen’s Coronation coach. You can now own a part of this history, in a perfect blend of modern utility and timeless British heritage. Not just a bag for the summer, but an investment in heritage craftsmanship.