Kenneth Cole 52454 Messenger Bag

I have lived with this bag for a couple of months now (daily use for work) and am very pleased with it. The review by Nudge is great and on the mark. For $80 it is a very good bag. So far it has been durable, comfortable and useful - using it to carry a macbook pro 13" and few personal items to and from the office, etc. I would recommend it for anyone looking for a professional looking real leather bag that won't break the bank. As Nudge said.. - "The bag is a soft bag, and the leather cover folds in unusual places when being worn or hung up. This will eventually leave marks in the top on the leather. It won't diminish the overall professionalism of the bag, but can be annoying to OCD users who insist on the bag keeping form or folding right at the center." It hasn't bothered me much, so not a real drawback. Great messenger bag at a great price! UPDATE: Still using this bag daily for work and it has been great. Showing some signs of wear in the corners, but that is expected for the amount of use it has seen. Still recommend it highly.

I have to say that the bag does look nice, but I have already returned two bags and am hesitant to give it another chance. I suspect that the bags I received (from Amazon.com LLC) are factory seconds. If not, there is either a huge quality control issue or the bags are fake (I doubt the latter since it seems pretty legitimate, even the inner zipper is engraved with "Kenneth Cole"). There are a few other reviews about low quality leather, but most people seem to have good luck with the bag. Good thing returning things is so easy on Amazon. The first bag I received was defective. I ordered a dark brown, and although the stitching was yellow and the strap was brown, the leather was black. Somebody must have mixed up the leather colors in the factory. The second bag I received was actually brown, and most of it looked OK. But one of the leather panels had many of what looked like small gouges in the leather. Not just a few either; the whole panel was covered with them. The front of the bag also came with a few scratches. Receiving two bad bags in a row is what makes me suspect these are seconds. After seeing the rave reviews, what I received was a disappointment. This is the first time I bought something on Amazon that didn't seem to be what the others were reviewing. It's also worth noting that a few reviewers mentioned that their bag came in a Kenneth Cole box and a nylon bag, while mine came in a clear plastic bag (I ordered directly from Amazon.com LLC, so I doubt they are fake). Maybe they have a different supplier now, or maybe those reviewers bought from an Amazon Merchant. Anyways, if I ever see this bag in a local store I'll check it out and post an update.

For the price, this bag has exceeded all my expectations, especially compared with similarly priced canvas and nylon bags. On a normal day I carry my iPad, a book, a cellphone, a pad of paper, my keys, a wallet, spare change, and a couple of pens, and I have plenty of room for anything (within reason)I might acquire throughout the day. The leather is very nice, but as others have noted, it's a soft bag and doesn't always hold its shape, which I don't mind. On the first day I took it out I got rained on and there was absolutely no color running. At first I was concerned about the lack of a clasp on the front flap, but it hasn't turned out to be a problem, even though the magnets that are meant to hold the flap down are only minimally useful. A zipper on the outside pocket might have been nice as well. It's probably not the right sized bag if you carry your whole life around with you, but perfect if you travel light. My only real regret is that there is nothing inside on which to attach a keychain. All in all, it's a great bag for the price, and after carrying it around with me for a few months, it still looks great and I am very happy with it.

This bag was a great bag while it lasted. I as able to carry my laptop and its accessories as well as one or two technical books and notebooks along with it. I used it for work and school for about six months. And I loved it. About a month ago though the metal magnetic pieces that held the flab down began to tear. And then finally one of them gave way. It is still usable and a good bag, but with one of the magnetic buttons gone it is now more flimsy and less secure. And the other button seems like its on its final leg about half way ripped off. I had to retire the bag for another Kenith Cole bag that did not have the flap style. I gave it three stars because it lasted a decent amount of time for the price I paid and I loved it while I was able to use it. But if you want a bag to last, you might want to look elsewhere.

Not durable. The connector piece of the magnet fell after 3 months, and got lost, and the bag doesn't even close securely anymore.

I ordered the tan version and I'm very pleased. I was worried that it would be too small, but the size is perfect for me. I have my 11" macbook air in a protective sleeve, a thick legal textbook and two thinner textbooks in the main compartment without overfilling it. My Kindle (2nd generation, in a cover - bigger than the newer ones) fits in one of the small front pockets, in front of my iPhone, which is in a hidden pocket inside the front pocket. Sunglasses and small cosmetics are in the zip compartment, wallet, keys, glasses, and pens in the other small pocket. I could fit a little more in without straining it, so it's just the right size. Leather is soft and beautiful. One panel on the back has some imperfections in the form of a rougher grain and a small whitish spot, but they are not very noticeable, and I figure there has to be SOME reason this bag wasn't sold at its suggested price. Stitching is solid, and it seems I should be able to use this bag for years to come. Overall, I can't believe I was lucky enough to get this at the price I paid - it's gorgeous!