Bennett Winch has chosen an unusual way to promote its latest line of bags. Its Tobacco Brown Suede collection, it says, ‘looks like it belongs in a 1970s five-star hotel… in a room being lovingly rearranged by Keith Moon and friends’. Lest we miss the rock’n’roll subtext, the accompanying photoshoot depicts a louche, Timotei-haired man, clad in jeans and a hard-wearing denim shirt, hanging out in a jet-black Jensen Interceptor III, an early 1970s GT sports car known for its high-speed, elegant design and fancy interior, Bennett Winch’s collection in tow. ‘It looks luxurious, but it’s built for a kicking,’ the company says. It’s not every luxury brand that actively invites you to trash its products. But then Bennett Winch has always embraced contradictory ideas.

It is a 21^st-century bagmaker that still handmakes its entire line in traditional workshops, using traditional techniques. It is a business with a prime position on Savile Row, a street known for its tailoring and bespoke suiting – not its baggage. And it is one company that goes out of its way to actively encourage its customers to buy fewer – better – things. ‘We’re making heirloom-quality products,’ says co-founder Robin Winch. ‘Our customers love the lifetime guarantee that we offer because we believe in fixing things, not throwing them away. If something does break, we’ll pick it up anywhere in the world and send it back to the factory in England. We’ll fix it in two or three weeks. A lot of people say they offer something like that, and then never follow through. If you look at our Trustpilot reviews, that gets referenced time and time again.’

The Tobacco Brown Suede collection comprises six items. Luggage includes the Weekender, the Commuter and the Suit Carrier Holdall. Then there is the Brief, a soft briefcase. And the Backpack and Tote for easy, everyday commuting. Each bag is built from full-grain Tuscan leathers that will wear and soften over time, with solid brass hardware intentionally chosen to patinate to an aged bronze. As per all Bennett Winch products, an equal amount of thought has gone into the interior and the exterior. 

‘As founders, we spend at least six months testing everything, sometimes more,’ says Winch, of himself and business partner Robin Bennett. ‘Using the product, seeing how it works. Are there any weak points? Are there any parts that annoy us? People tend to get attached to bags because they work. If some little thing starts to annoy you – your hand gets caught when you’re getting your wallet or your phone out, because the angle of the zip isn’t right or the pocket is in the wrong place, then we solve it. By the time it goes to the consumer, it just works. It works perfectly.’ That applies to bags both bigger and smaller. Take the suede Commuter with its padded laptop sleeve, pop-out wet pouch (for laundry or gym kit) and 32 litres of storage. Or its suede Tote with three differently dimensioned internal pockets for phone, keys, wallet etc, plus a pair of protective leather scuff pads at the base.

‘The word “timeless” gets overused,’ says Winch. ‘But the fact that we have products in our range that are the same as when we launched 10 years ago is testament to that. You don’t need 10 different styles of tote. You need one really good weekend bag. And one great backpack. We’ve been willing to put in the time to get those right. We really do believe less is more.’

And if there were ever a case of a brand putting its money where its mouth is, inviting you to give its products ‘a kicking’ is surely it.

bennettwinch.com