Design Hunting - For the Coworker Who’s Commuting Again

They may not always be in the office, but they’re always working. Whether they’re zipping to client meetings across town (or across the country), networking over dinner, or finalizing a presentation using coffee shop wifi, nothing fazes them. The only thing more commendable than their ability to glide through a packed schedule is their impeccable taste.

An updated version of one of our favorite work backpacks, Tumi’s Voyageur Halsey takes the effort out of organization. A zippered, padded compartment fits up to a 14” laptop and the interior is loaded with purpose-built pockets, perfect for keeping cards, pens, and tablets in their proper place. A zippered, water-resistant water bottle pocket also means they won’t ever worry about important paperwork getting soaked.

Available colorways like Fog, Indigo, Deep Plum, and Black/Gunmetal add a dash of flavor while maintaining professionalism — though a separate black edition with gold zippers and accents does add a dash of C-suite glam if that’s more their style.

I loathe most holiday gift tags, with their foil snowflakes, fusty poinsettia prints, creepy Santas, and ugly script fonts. But I love a subtle stripe of cute, contrasting washi tape (write your recipient’s name with a Sharpie), or a simple blank paper tag, bought in bulk. —Jen Trolio, senior editor