Israeli Paratrooper Briefcase

Without a doubt this is one of the best remembered items from 1980s Banana Republic, a book bag for countless students, I took full advantage of its generous pen holders and used it as a sketchbook carrying bag for many years. Even today it’s a great laptop bag, though a padded laptop sleeve would be a smart addition. Vintage BR bags show up online with some frequency.  The original was actually made in Israel and was originally surplus from the Israeli Defense Forces.

From the catalogue: “When called away suddenly on business (to Entebbe, for example), it can be hard to organize paperwork. To cope with the kind of bureaucratic entanglements that accompany international brinksmanship, the fast descending Israeli paratrooper takes along a durable briefcase-one with D-rings, a padded adjustable shoulder strap, three big inside compartments appropriate for legal pads, and an exterior flap pocket sized to suit a ponderous paperback. Also: two rows of sturdy loops for implements mightier than swords.” 

The earliest appearance of the bag I note is the 1985 Holiday catalog and it ran all the way to the last catalog in Fall 1988. It was later listed in the post-Safari 1989 catalog. Matching Duffle Bags and Backpacks were also produced in that time. The bag has been in production since as a knockoff  can be found new today , though without the Stars N Bananas logo inside and presumably of much less quality.