Cuyana’s New Satchel Is Pricey, but Worth It. Here’s Why.

Cuyana, a leather-goods brand founded in 2011, makes leather work bags and lifestyle bags. We recommend its Classic Easy Tote, a roomy leather bag, in our guide to work tote bags. It’s easy, breezy, beautiful, and above all, practical.

The Forma Satchel is the company’s latest big swing.

Retailing from $700 to $800, the Forma Satchel has an expandable design with a hexagon-like shape — and it looks nothing like the basic work bags I often see on my commute.

On the sides are magnets that allow you to expand and contract the bag depending on how much you’re bringing along. If you want your bag to be a little bigger to carry items from your office to your home, for example, or if you want it to double as a travel bag, just separate the magnets and extend the bag to the sides. That’s it. This design is a much more modular build than that of the unstructured, rectangular Classic Easy Tote, and as a result it has an eye-catching look.

The sophistication also extends to the construction, materials, and finish. On first glance, the bag featured elegant seams and a soft texture throughout. I started my testing by throwing the bag around the floor of my apartment and shaking it heavily; the shape remained intact, and no seams apart. Though I was nervous about the matte finish (which usually reveals scratches and damage more easily), the Italian pebbled leather still felt supple and sophisticated, with no visible harm. I actually found the matte look to be a nice upgrade from the Classic Easy Tote’s shinier finish.

Holding the bag instantly gave me an air of confidence and felt like carrying a briefcase from yesteryear. The structured, thick handles made it easy for me to hold on to the bag without much scrunching of my hands. Though its size truly shocked me at first, it didn’t look or feel too oversized against my body, largely thanks to its angular design when closed.

The inside is lined with microsuede fabric that’s soft and luscious, a common feature found in similarly priced bags. In my testing, the material resisted scratches and tears well. Unlike its open-tote counterparts, it includes compartments — a zippered pocket, two smaller vertical pockets, and a laptop sleeve — that make it easy for you to organize and find items.

If you want further organization, you can add a few accessories, including the Forma Pouch ($100), which you can clip into a strap inside the bag or use separately as a clutch. The tote is also compatible with some of Cuyana’s signature organizational tools (which work with this and other Cuyana bags), all sold separately, including the System Flap Bag and the System Zipper Pouch, which you can clip into the bag.

In addition, the Forma Satchel has metal feet, which allow the bag to stay upright when you set it down on the floor or at a desk and protect the leather from damage. Though I am superstitious about putting my bag on the ground (no further comments at this time), I found the metal feet helpful during my commute from New Jersey to New York; on days when I had to stand on the bus, I was able to put the bag down without fearing it would tumble over as we moved through traffic.

The price is on a par with the cost of other, similar contemporary and luxury bag options, especially considering Cuyana’s quality. (The company also offers a two-year warranty on all of its bags.) For example, Wirecutter also recommends the Carl Friedrik Ashby Tote, which sells for $745 and is made with Italian leather. Much like the Forma Satchel, the Ashby Tote features versatile pockets, a spacious laptop compartment, and metal feet. However, the Ashby Tote’s silhouette better resembles that of traditional work totes. Though the Forma Satchel’s organizational and hardware features can be found in other bags, its combination of modular design, high-quality sophistication, and fashion-forward approach make it stand out.