Dark academia is the aesthetic of old libraries, candlelit study, tweed, poetry and well-worn books, and the traditional leather satchel is at the very heart of it. This collection brings together the bags and accessories that suit a dark academia wardrobe best, all made by hand in our Liverpool workshop: classic satchels and briefcase satchels in every size, our music bags, leather notebook covers, the pen slip, leather bookmarks and the reading glasses case.

For an authentic dark academia look, choose deep, scholarly leathers such as Chestnut Brown, HP Brown, Oxford Blue, Mulberry Bush and Racing Green, or one of our hand-distressed finishes such as Distressed Walnut Husk, Distressed Mocha Tree or Distressed Bowthorpe Oak, which give the gently aged character of a bag passed down through generations. Light academia lovers may prefer softer tones such as British Tan and Cloud Cream.

Our satchels are the real thing, not a fashion imitation. The Hanshaw family has made traditional school and university satchels in Liverpool since 1966, and by the 1980s we were the last surviving traditional satchel maker in Britain. Every bag and accessory is made to order, stitched by hand and finished with our maker's mark pressed discreetly on the back. Add a monogram, gold hardware or a bolt-on handle and you have a satchel for lectures, libraries and long walks with a good book, backed by our five-year guarantee and a lifetime of repairs.