It’s not often (actually not ever) in my line of work that I get to carry a briefcase around, since I don’t particularly need to lug documents or a laptop from point A to point B in my normal day-to-day work life.

Still, that’s not going to stop me from admiring briefcases, since I do think they make a smart accessory to any man’s wardrobe, especially those working in stiff corporate environments who can’t get away with just a canvas backpack or a nylon messenger.

And just because it has to be a briefcase doesn’t mean it has be all black and boring. Take the Valextra Premier Cross-Grained Leather Briefcase for example, which you’ll find on Mr Porter for GBP2110. Measuring 39 cm across, it’s a sickly sleek beast, all decked out in hard-wearing cross-grained leather that’s finished off with stitches using green thread that’s a nice yet unusual contrast.

Topped off with a simple handle and soft, rounded curves, you’ll find an uncluttered main compartment on the inside, with leather slots on one side for paperwork and other bits. Smart and handsome, it won’t be out of place in the boardroom, be it in the year 2012 or 2212.

Image: Mr Porter