I believe that one of the most telling signs of a successful fashion brand is its versatility. One-trick ponies are all very well and good, but brands that can successfully design and market a variety of models are hard to beat. It shows an all-around quality and ingenuity, as well as a wide knowledge of the current fashion scene and needs.

Builford is one of those brands that is incredibly versatile. At the base it is a fashion bag brand, sporting a collection of backpacks, messenger style cross-body bags, as well as a few duffles and totes. Using a constant, unifying theme across the collection — the use of waxed canvas — each model is nevertheless unique. While all models are suitable for all kinds of use, each has its own focus – exploring/trekking, student, fashion, etc.

It is true that there is a distinctly Builford “look” to each bag, with the combination of muted colors, waxed canvas, and oiled leather. There are many unifying design themes, but despite this, there is no one bag alike — or even bags that look like someone copied a previous design but made modifications. They each manage to be fully “Builford” and fully their own design at the same time. It’s a quality greatly to be admired in the midst of the copycat designs all over.

Even among the backpacks this remains true. If you’ve seen one Builford backpack, you certainly haven’t seen them all. They come in a wide range of designs, some with roll tops, drawstrings, or any number of interesting and unusual closures. There is really something for all occasions. The Urban Backpack, for example, is a light, breezy pack great for students and city dwellers, while the Roll Top Safari Backpack is a large-sized, heavy duty bag perfect for trekking.

There is a lot to like in Builford’s ability to produce such incredible variety while maintaining a common theme throughout. Each bag is magnificent in its own right. Although they are tailored and design with a certain use in mind — which corresponds perfectly — almost all of the bags are multipurpose.

Due to the waxed canvas, Builford bags are also high quality and heavy duty. So not only is it a fashion brand, it’s also a practical fashion brand! Now that’s something!

To find out more about Builford and to browse the collection to see for yourself what I mean, visit www.builford.com. You can also browse through the photos below for just a few examples of the variety I mentioned!