Baggitude: Bags to accommodate the modern lifestyle

Bags are at the crossroads where style and functionality meet. For most, there is always one bag in our collection that does most of the heavy lifting – it carries our essentials to classes, has our back at work, all while blending in with our setting and outfit. 

Someone who is constantly on the go often has to switch from being a student to an employee to a friend, all within the span of a day. It is hard to find a single bag which fits all scenarios – stylish ones tend to be extremely heavy, formal styles look out of place in casual settings, etc. With heavy use, they also tend to deteriorate quickly. 

This is where Baggitude steps in. The brand was co-founded by Rubaiyath Sarwar with two other partners under Intrade Limited. Baggitude crafts premium quality bags out of jute, denim, and leather; designed to fit the needs of the modern lifestyle. 

The idea of the brand first came to Sarwar when he sought solutions for the jute industry. 

"During one of my work trips I wondered about the challenges we were facing with jute products. Customers look at jute as tote bags or bazar bags. That's the value associated with jute. People don't want to pay a premium price for it. But the manufacturing process is so niche that it calls for higher price tags," said Sarwar. 

Furthermore, he also recognised that modern lifestyles demanded innovative designs for bags. Combining the two ideas, Sarwar and his partners started Baggitude, a go-to store for any type of bag. 

"'Bags with attitude' was the idea behind the name, it is an attempt to break the perception of jute only being suitable for tote bags, and by reimagining the product features and quality,"  Sarwar explained. 

The brand initially only worked with jute, even today jute is one of the main materials they work with. However, they have also branched out using other materials over time. All the materials used are sourced locally. 

Baggitude's style is versatile, chic, and ages gracefully due to the materials used. Among their products, some of their bestsellers include Nomad Pro, Diva, Nomad X, and T3.

Nomad Pro

The Nomad Pro is known as one of Baggitude's flagship bags. It was one of the first bags designed by the company. Sarwar had one of these bags made just in time for one his flights.

"I posted a picture of the bag on Facebook from the Dubai airport. By the time I arrived in Nigeria, I saw message after message from friends, family and others asking for one. That is when I realised that this is what people are looking for," reminisced Sarwar.  

The unisex bag comes in denim and jute with leather accents. The golden buckles bring the whole design together. The bag is sold in two sizes: 14 inches and 15 inches. However, it can be customised to 16 inches as well. 

The best part about the bag is that it is extremely lightweight, it will not add much more weight to your shoulders on top of your laptop and other essentials. 

Price: Tk1,850

Diva

The Diva bag is a dream for people who need to carry a lot of essentials. The bag is large enough to carry a laptop, books, documents, and much more. It has a dimension of 17 inches by 11 inches by 3 inches, and it comes in two variants – jute and denim. 

If you have been carrying around an average laptop bag, you can finally ditch it for this. It is functional and stylish, and comes in a variety of fun prints. However, if you love monochromes that are not too loud, Baggitude also has that covered.

Price: Tk1,150

Nomad X

The Nomad X is a laptop sleeve that you can customise to perfectly fit the dimensions of your computer. The sleeve is the perfect protection for your laptop when you do not want to carry any extra weight. It is a good option for preventing your device from getting scratched, or rattling inside another bag. 

The sleeve is also padded which adds a layer of cushion to prevent damage from rough handling. 

Price: Tk575

T3

The T3 is a small pouch, and is the perfect travel companion. The pouch was named after Terminal 3 in Dubai's airport, where Sarwat designed many of Baggitude's products. The pouch comes with a strap on its side, allowing you to attach it to your bag or luggage. You can choose between solid colours of black or blue, and striped designs.

Baggitude's Santorini is a messenger bag crafted with denim and leather

Price: Tk550

Where to find: You can find them on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Baggitude/ or at Pebbles in Dhaka and Chittagong