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Thank you to all our readers and supporters from the makers of the best in leather iPad Pro cases. 

Ultimate Business Handbags - The Grand Career Tote

Today we are celebrating the launch of the ultimate women's leather business handbags, the Grand Career Tote, with it's designer, Angelina Hart. Angelina and I sat down to discuss the genesis of her new design, her inspirations and what she hopes to achieve with her leather business handbags.

Angelina Hart Background and Inspiration

JD- Since this is your first designer leather handbag, can you tell our readers a bit about your background, where you are coming from and how you got into designing women’s luxury products?

 AH - I grew up in a very European influenced home. Being half German and half Yugoslavian, I had a lot of exposure to different languages, cultures and food. This inspired me to travel and explore the world. I was also very adventurous growing up. I began riding horses at the age of four. I also developed a passion for fast Italian sports cars, motorcycles, flying airplanes, scuba diving, surfing, archery and shooting guns. I've been called the female James Bond.

In addition to my adventurous side, I also had a passion for the luxuries of life. My father always taught me that if you buy the very best of something that you can afford and you take care of it, it will last a lifetime. I developed a deep appreciation for quality, design, and style. After purchasing decades of luxury handbags, I decided to create my own. I drew inspiration from the top designers in Paris and Italy to create my own line of luxury handbags.

JD - I understand you were a collector for many years. How has that affected your designs?

AH - I have always loved leather handbags. That is my weakness, some women are addicted to shoes, but I am addicted to handbags. My closet looks like a luxury boutique. I have a wide collection of bags from Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chanel, Furla, Fendi, Prada, Givenchy, Hermes, the list goes on. They are like beautiful pieces of art that I can wear. I appreciate their style and quality. There was always a little something that I wanted to change on those leather handbags.

For example, the metal zipper teeth on the interior pocket where you store a cellphone was very problematic. The metal teeth would scratch my phone, chip my manicure or catch on my ring. I felt that the pocket could be improved to avoid this problem. I started a list of fixes and improvements. I took everything from this list and created my own line. Designing leather handbags is a lifelong dream come true. I wanted to combine my designs with unparalleled quality and introduce my new luxury line to the world.

Influencing the Designs Business Handbags

JD - What would you say are your biggest influencers?

AH - I am influenced by glamour. I’m influenced by timeless and classic style that will never go out of fashion. I am inspired by the era of the 20’s, the Gatsby style. When men and women dressed to the nine all the time. I love the idea of women dressing like ladies and men dressing like gentlemen. I look back at old movies and television shows for inspiration. I am very influenced by classic and timeless fashion mixed with the modern active woman.

I love classic fashion, for example, a dress worn by Marilyn Monroe that you can still wear today. Design of a certain quality never goes out of style. And I also draw on my hobbies for inspiration. My passion for yachting, Italian cars and dressage has inspired some of my upcoming handbags. There are certain aesthetic elements of those hobbies that translate into the design of my handbags. I want that to draw my customers into my world, to share my experiences and hopefully inspire women to adventurous.

JD - I see you travel quite a bit. Do you find that specific places influence your designs? How have you been influenced by locations?

AH - I love to travel and I have been to so many places all over the world. One of my favorite places is Monaco. I would move there tomorrow if I could. On my first trip, I went to the Casino de Monte-Carlo and was taken back by all the beauty that surrounded me. As I walked into the hotel, I felt like I was in a James Bond movie. I was waiting to see him pull up in his Aston Martin.

The view from the stunning Salle Blanche was my favorite. As I was playing Punto Banco, I felt so inspired and stimulated by everything around me. It was a memorable time of elegance and inspiration.

JD - So all that adds up to the Grand Career Tote.

The Grand Career Tote - The Ultimate Women's Business Handbag?

Why should a woman choose the Grand Career Tote? What makes it the ultimate leather business handbag?

AH - For many years I carried a designer bag and a briefcase at the same time. I felt like an alpaca. I was so delighted by my handbag but very embarrassed by my business bag. Business bags in the past have always been very masculine and ugly. Or they were feminine but of such poor quality.

I wanted to create the ultimate business handbag for career women: A perfect combination of beauty from the fashion world and all of the organization and functionality of a business tote. I wanted a bag that could transition from daytime to evening. This business handbag is the only bag you will need.

JD - The interior is very unique. Can you tell us about that?

AH - The interior was inspired by some of my favorite hotels in Europe. The striped satin interior is reminiscent of some of the softest and most luxurious sheets. The light golden interior compliments the beautiful cream accents on the exterior of the bag.

Having a light and bright interior makes it easier to find items in your bag. The elegance of the liner is something that separates a business handbag like the Grand Career Tote from other business tote out there. There is a level of glamor in the execution of this bag that is unique.

JD - The bag seems extremely light, yet is still structured. How did you achieve this.

AH - As a business handbag, I wanted it to have structure, yet be lightweight and padded inside. I sourced special foam to create the structure that still allowed the bag to be lightweight. This was much more expensive an option to choose vs. what many other manufactures do. A business handbag has to be pretty and preform too. I can’t stand handbags that don’t have any structure at all or that weight too much for what they are.

You put all of your things in a bag like that and it becomes a huge mess. You might as well just carry around a trash bag! I think there should be a certain amount of organization with a business handbag. We need quick and easy access to our most common items, like keys and cell phones. Organization is important to professional, successful women.

JD- Visually, the design seems not to follow any trends. Was this a conscious choice? If so, why?

AH - Yes. I strive to design handbags that are not trendy. I prefer designs that are classic and timeless. I want my designs to have an eternal life. I have some Chanel bags that are over fifteen years old and still look modern today. I believe that if you buy a luxury handbag, it should never go out of style. It’s much harder to do something timeless, than something trendy. I like the challenge of that. Getting the Grand Career Tote right was certainly a challenge.

Fans of Angelina Hart

JD - Who do you see becoming fans of your brand? Is there a certain type of women you hope to reach?

AH - Since the Grand Career Tote is the ultimate business handbag, I can see professional women who are tired of carrying a fashion handbag and a business tote becoming huge fans. I can also see women who are a bit rebellious and think outside the box getting behind the brand as well. We’re not the European design houses. We’re something else, something different and something new with old world values and timeless design. A woman can make a statement carrying an Angelina Hart handbag and look amazing doing it.

JD- Are there any celebrities you’d like to design for?

AH - There are several actresses I would love to design for. They all have such different styles. Amy Adams, Helen Mirren and Scarlett Johansson are a few of my favorite actresses. They all possess a timeless beauty, classic Hollywood. If I had to choose one to start with, it would be my all time favorite, Joan Collins. She is a fashion icon, forever classic and forever Alexis Carrington Colby. I loved her as Alexis in Dynasty! She has been an inspiration to me.

JD - So the Grand Career Tote your women’s leather laptop bag and the first piece of your bag collection. What should we be looking for next from Angelina Hart?

AH  - I have designed a series of handbags inspired by my adventurous lifestyle. The next handbag to be revealed is an equestrian inspired bag. There are also upcoming designs that are influenced by sailing and classic Ferraris. I can see doing additional business handbags as well.

"Business handbags have to be pretty and preform too"

The Best MacBook Pro Cases & iPad Pro Cases Turns 10

Happy Anniversary MacCase Premium Leather Collection!

One of the original members of the Premium Leather Collection from 2007: The Sleeves

2017 marks the 10 year anniversary of the launch of the Premium Leather Collection by MacCase. The Collection represents the best MacBook Pro cases and iPad Pro cases available. The Collection was ground breaking in that it reinvented the Apple-specific case market MacCase created nearly 10 years earlier.

Today we are once again speaking with Michael Santoro, Chief Creative Officer of MacCase, the architect of the premium leather concept. In this post we'll take a look back at the history of the line that represents the best MacBook Pro and iPad Pro cases.

JDK - Take us back 10 years. What was life like at MacCase in 2007?

MS - You have to go back later than that. The leather line launched in 2007 but the impetus to create something that the world had never seen before goes back to around 2005. We were the number one selling Apple specific case line at CompUSA for 3 years. CompUSA folds and we loose half of our revenue overnight. This kind of loss tends to make you very creative, very quickly.

JDK - So you are saying the leather line was born from necessity?

MS - That is part of the story. When I created the first ever Apple specific case, there wasn't much competition. This changed quickly. After nearly a decade, the market was crowded. Even though we were still doing very well, I was itching for that same excitement of when we had the place to ourselves. This combined with the loss of CompUSA pushed me to start thinking about a second act for MacCase.

The Genesis of a New Leather Line of MacBook Pro Cases

JKD - So what lead you to leather? Did you look at any other options?

MS - That is a good question because along with going upmarket, I also looked at going down market. I thought there would be a opportunity to bring high end design to ultra low price pieces. We even had the name for the line picked out, the branding, everything. I walked around with the ideas for the products in my head for a long time never putting pen to paper to get them out.

JKD - Why?

MS - I don't know. That happens sometimes. I sure songwriters have the same experience. You'll walk around with a melody or some lyrics in your head for a week and if you don't get them out they evaporate back into the ether from which they came. For this low cost models, they just never got out. It happens.

JKD - Did you have the ideas for the leather line in your head at the same time?

MS - Yes.

JKD - Wow, never a dull moment in that brain of your's huh?

MS - You have no idea, Jody (laughing).

JKD - So the low cost line never saw the light of day?

MS - No, but if you look at amazon and eBay, the Chinese manufactures pretty much did exactly what I envisioned. When we started, a basic nylon sleeve for a MacBook Pro was about $40. Now it's a lot less. I cannot speak to the quality of the stuff that is out there now at those super low price points, but that was the idea. My thinking about the direction of the market at that time was spot on.

JKD - So somewhere at this time the idea for the leather line springs forth. What was the difference in that idea vs. the low cost idea that made you take action?

Early concept for a two tone MacBook Pro leather sleeve

Being First Again

MS - Because I was going to get to so something first again. There was no premium, up market leather case line specifically for Apple in 2006. The disposability of nylon always bothered me. If you make a good quality leather piece it can last for decades.

Doing products that were more substantial had meaning to me. Doing upmarket, beautifully designed, beautifully crafted products that the world had not seen before is what designers live for. Knowing these products were going to be the best MacBook Pro cases available brought a resurgent sense of confidence and pride to our work.

JKD - How did you choose which forms factors or styles to include in the new leather line?

MS - That was probably the easiest part because we knew what was selling well on the nylon side. So we just took the styles that were hits for us in nylon and copied them in leather. Well, we didn't just copy them. We fused the new leather aesthetic with the form factors we knew were top sellers.

JKD - Yes, tell us about the visual vocabulary you developed that became the hallmark of the new leather line.

MS - Well, if you are going to make the best of something, you want people to be able to see that. In our case, we wanted to make the best leather MacBook Pro cases. How do you use design to get that message across? I needed a way to have the products speak for themselves. I wanted the vocabulary to be timeless. Our nylon models were never trendy so there was no way our leather line was going to be.

The New Look for the New Line of Leather MacBook Pro Cases

JKD - What did you ultimately come up with?

MS - Arcs. Whenever you bring curves into a design it tends to make the design more complex and interesting. They can get away from you so you have to be careful. But curves did 2 things for us: It showed the world we could cut leather, and when we used contrasting white thread to sew the curved panels, it showed the world we were serious about quality. It showed everyone we could sew.

It's really hard to do this stuff. You can't make the leather MacBook Pro cases or iPad Pro cases at the quality we do on a speed line. And you can't put a white thread through a black leather curved panel unless every stitch is perfect. This was the unspoken, visual language that was developed to let the world know that these were in fact the best leather MacBook Pro cases anyone had ever seen.

Ultra rare cream version of the MacCase Premium Leather Shoulder Bag

JKD - When the line launched you had 7 colors. Was that a bit ambitious?

MS - Of course. Making Apple laptop cases from really expensive leather for a market no one knew was there was ambitious too. It's all ambitious. That's the point. As an entrepreneur, ambition is the gas that keeps the engine running. Doing this line was as exciting as doing the first MacCase for the old iBook. It had the same kind of energy. That's the time to try stuff. 7 colors was over the top. So what?

JKD - Were there any colors of the original seven that you look back on now and thing, "What was I thinking?

MS - No, not at all. You have to try things. You never know how the market will react. We sold a lot of red, a lot of pink and a lot of chocolate that first year. Don't forget, we only had a few styles back in 2007. Nothing like all the styles we have today. Cream never did well but it was a cool color to have in the line. So was tan.

Tan looks great in photos. So even though some of the colors were not great sellers, they presented a new idea, the idea of upmarket, premium leather quality products for Apple portables to a world that had never seen that before. A beautiful tan of red will do that a lot more effectively than a black case will in a photo.

The Best MacBook Pro Cases

JKD - When did you realize the line was going to be a success? That your huge risk was paying off?

MS - Probably by the end of the first year. Sales we good and the interest was picking up. I was motivated to create more form factors, more styles and grow the line. It was the right line of products at the right time. Eventually we made up all the revenue we lost from Comp and then some. It's very rewarding to be sitting here with you now 10 years later knowing it's still going strong. From a very dark day in our history we responding in the most creative way possible and came back stronger than ever.

Many pieces from the original 2007 production are still being used today

JKD - Looking back now these 10 years, is there anyhting you are partially proud of about the line or what you have accomplished?

MS - I am proud that so many of the leather MacBook Pro cases and now, leather iPad Pro cases that we have produced are still in use today. Some pieces of the original launch from 2007 are still in use. That is pretty good for a $100 - 250 case.

I am proud how well we have brought the iPad Pro cases into the Premium Leather Collection to the point where we are probably going to be best known for them in the not to distant future.

I am proud of all the new customers we've brought on board. Marie Osmond recently placed a nice order with us. Last week, Ralph Lauren's organization purchased our Folios for their staff. That says a lot when an iconic design brand like Ralph Lauren is purchasing your products for their staff. That meant a lot to me.

Neil Diamond's road crew uses MacCase. Wherever Neil is in the world, if someone on the tour get's a new Apple portable, Stan (Neil Diamond's road manager) calls Debbie and we ship it to them. Lastly, actor Vince Lozano recently placed and order with us. Vince is best known for his work on the Pirates of the Caribbean.

 JKD - Lastly, looking back on the last 10 years and the success you've had, does this inspire you to come up with something else? A third act for MacCase?

MS - I would not say the anniversary is inspired me one way or the other. Boredom, Jody. Boredom inspires me. I get restless really easily and am always looking for the next thing.

JKD - Have you found it?

MS - Stay tuned......

 "You can't make the leather MacBook Pro cases or iPad Pro cases at the quality we do on a speed line"

MacBook Pro Cases - Behind the Great New Videos!

For many years MacCase has struggled to develop a video format that would work best for showing off our collection of MacBook Pro cases and iPad Pro cases. We developed our "Unboxing" series to show off our nylon models and our "Product Overview" series for our Premium Leather models.

This was going well for a while and several videos were produced but production hurdles soon prevented any new videos being posted. Everyone at MacCase feels like we make the best MacBook Pro cases available. Finding the best video format that shows this off and tells this story was our challenge.



The early videos featured a straight on, table top presentation of one or more of our MacBook Pro cases. A voice over matched the actions of a lone figure on screen, pointing to and or interacting with the various sleeves, cases, and bags. The films proved to be informative, but took long to produce. The reaction from customers and potential customers alike was positive. But something was missing.

The Best MacBook Pro Cases Videos We Can Make

No one at MacCase is ever happy with the status quo and we soon we were looking for a better way to present our MacBook Pro cases, either from our leather or nylon, collections, in the best possible light.

We put together a list of things we wanted to improve for the new generation of videos we would produce. One thing we wanted in this format reboot was a quicker turn around for the production. Each video in the old format was taking weeks to create. This was far too long. From planning and writing the script to shooting, editing and posting, we all agreed the process was much too drawn out. This had to be corrected.

The second, but more important issue we wanted to tackle was the presentation itself. The old table top format made it difficult to see inside the MacBook Pro cases which is something potential customers are very interested in. We sent out observers into some big box retail stores to watch how customers interacted with the bags on the shelves.

The "Getting to Know You" Process

What we saw is what we expected. Once a customer picked up a bag that caught their eye, they would begin a process of discovery. Flipping it over, checking out the padding (in the case of a backpack or messenger bag) and then the handles or straps was a pretty common first step. Then the investigation really began. Everyone opened all the pockets and compartments, looked and put a hand inside to check the "feel". Was this bag going to do the job?

This "getting to know you"process is absolutely key because it allows the customer to feel comfortable enough to make the purchase. It's also key in that it allows the customers to compare their "must have" list to the actual product they have in front of them. All while evaluating whether the MacBook Pro case, sleeve or backpack will meet their needs.

This hands on, "touchy, feely", getting to know you process is exactly what is missing when shopping online. This process is abstracted and replaced with a series of "stand-in" experiences that tries to replicate the in-store shopping process: Photos, descriptions, customer reviews and last but not least, videos.

Replicating The In-Store Process 

For the new videos of our MacBook Pro cases and iPad Pro cases, we wanted to try and replicate the "touchy, feely, hands on, getting to know you" approach as much as we could. This is the format of the next generation of our product overview videos.

The first thing we changed was the camera angle. We moved from a table top, front view approach to an overhead angle. The overhead angle still allows for the front and rear views of the bag or case being featured to be clearly shown, but once the case is picked up and pockets and compartments are opened (like in a store), the interiors can been seen and much more fully understood. This is one of the key advantages of the new video format.

Three new videos have been produced featuring this new format. It tries to simulate what a potential customer would do if they walked up to our product on a store shelf: Pick it up, flip it over, get a feel for the materials and then open it up and look inside.
The visual experience is enhanced by text which calls out each product feature, advantage and or benefit. The text is there to supplement what is at it's core a visual, exploratory experience.

See our MacBook Pro Cases Like Never Before

For years customers have been asking of photos of the inside of our MacBook Pro cases. We have tried several times to correctly capture the interiors but nothing has been successful enough to post and not nearly as successful as what a good video can show.

For the first time, customers can see inside our MacBook Pro cases just like they would if they were on a store shelf. Our Vintage leather MacBook Pro cases feature a black interior liner. For this reason, many of the videos will feature our pebble grain black leather models because the interior liner is light gray.

The light gray colors allows the camera (and the viewer) to see down inside the case much more easily than the black liner. If the point of the video is to share more information and more information is visible using the black case with the light gray liner than that is what we will use.

Another major change to the format is removal of the voice over to explain the features. The aforementioned text has replaced what was a arduous script writing and production process. This will enable us to reduce the production time from weeks to literally hours.

Another addition to our format reboot or update comes in the form of music. Hundreds of sound files were listened to before settling on something we felt would work for our MacBook Pro cases. Picking music was so much harder than I would have ever imagined.

Higher quality, in terms of information shared, and higher quantity in terms of getting more videos done, were our goals in the format reboot. Overall, we feel the new video format is a quantum leap over the old format in terms of production time and information shared.

More videos featuring our MacBook Pro cases and iPad Pro cases are coming. We hope you find them as informative as walking up to one of our bags on a store shelf. Please let us know if you feel we've achieved our goals.

"We were looking for a better way to present our MacBook Pro cases..."

Best iPad Pro 12.9 Bags, Sleeves, Cases and Backpacks Pt 2

In part one of "The Best iPad Pro 12.9 Bags, Cases, Backpacks and Folios", we covered the Premium Leather Briefcase, Folio and Flight Jacket. In part 2, we will look at the Sleeves, Backpack and Messenger for the 12.9 iPad Pro.
 
While the first part covered models that were part of the Premium Leather Collection, this post will show that you don't have to be an expensive leather case to be one of the best iPad Pro 12.9 bags. All of the thinking, design content, custom fit and quality of the Premium Leather Collection are applied to our selection of 12.9 specific nylon models as well.

Leather iPad Pro 12.9 Sleeve / 12.9 Nylon Sleeve

Whether you're looking at the leather 12.9 iPad Pro Sleeve or the nylon one, the mission for each is the same: To offer the best protection for your Apple tablet. The second product MacCase ever produced in it's long and illustrious history was a sleeve. Our sleeves have always been a bit different. When the entire industry was using neoprene and zippers MacCase created a truly original solution offering superior designed sleeves using neither neoprene nor zippers.

This original thinking is carried through to our sleeves for the 12.9 iPad Pro. Both use an elegant, silent magnet closure for the main flap. Both have our industry leading protection for the Apple Pencil in the form of a vertical, centrally located pocket accessed under the main flap.

The 12.9 iPad Pro nylon sleeve takes the storage options one further by offering an additional 4 built in pockets for cables, the AC adapter and other items. Whether you choose the lightweight and cost efficiency of the nylon model or the luxury of our Premium Leather hides, you can be confident that both sleeves come with nearly 15 years of sleeve design experience behind them. Our sleeve designs have been around so long because they work.

iPad Pro 12.9 Messenger Bag

 

When it came time to look at designs for the a messenger bag for Apple's largest tablet, we talked to the owners of our 13" MacBook Pro messenger bag. The 12.9 iPad Pro and the 13" Macbook models are the same size give or take a millimeter or two. We asked what they liked most about our current design and what would they want improved.

MacCase is unique in the industry in offering a custom fitted sleeve as part of our messenger bag designs. We feel this offers a superior value to anyone looking to protect their expensive Apple portable. This is the feature the 13" MB customers liked most. This is the model we followed for the 12.9 iPad Pro messenger bag. We paired our highly successful messenger bag with our iPad Pro 12.9 sleeve to create a very unique package for 12.9 owner.

Each piece can be used together or separately offering the highest level of versatility. When you combine the 11 pockets and compartments of the messenger bag with the 5 from the sleeve you have a whopping 16 different places to store things. This number doesn't include both the main compartment of the messenger or the main compartment of the sleeve. If you include these in the list, you have 18 areas to store and transport the things that make up your mobile life and get through your day.

We always strive to imbue the models in the MacCase Standard Line with the highest value possible. This iPad Pro 12.9 Messenger Bag goes above and beyond offering, a unique 2 for 1 package providing exemplary protection combined with a broad range of storage options. All this functionality is wrapped in a simple, elegant aesthetic that lets the rich textures of the materials and hints of color speak for themselves.

 iPad Pro 12.9 Backpack

Like the Messenger Bag above, the goal for our iPad Pro 12.9 Backpack was to offer the best value in a backpack designed for Apple's largest tablet. How do you do that? At MacCase, we feel this is achieved by offering a product that is innovative, protective, functional and stylish for a price point below what similar featured models from other manufactures cost.

Many people associate innovation with technology. But not all innovation is the result of ones and zeros. For our iPad Pro backpack, the innovation comes from the design itself. Can you design a backpack that doesn't look like it's carrying the world's most expensive tablet computer? Most laptop and tablet packs are squarish. The square shape conveys there is hardware inside.

The 12.9 pack is round. Organic. No one will ever know what's inside. Using form to protect the contents from theft and keeping the person wearing it safe is innovative. As is the inclusion of Scotchlite safety inserts so the persons wearing it can be seen crossing a street at night. Yes the backpack does all the things you'd expect. But looking our for your safety on a number of different levels is something you might not be expecting. That's innovation.

Regarding protection, no other pack combines the dual protection of a removable sleeve and a built in sleeve like the MacCase iPad Pro 12.9 backpack does. This adds unbridled functionality to the package allowing you to use the sleeve and pack together or separately, depending on your needs. And nothing beats the functionality of our BRIGHTSIGHT interior designs featured on all our iPad Pro 12.9 nylon models.

Lastly, the style of our iPad Pro 12.9 backpack reflects the simple, understated design vocabulary of all MacCase products. Our nylon models are just as much at home in the classroom as they are in the boardroom. Good design will do that for you.

The Last Word

It was mentioned in part one of this blog that none of theses models existed at the beginning of this year. It's been a difficult process getting all these new models to production and finally into the hands of waiting customers. Overall, we feel these are some of the best values in iPad Pro 12.9 cases, bags, sleeves and folios available from any manufacturer anywhere.

Everyday we are humbled by our customers passion for what we do and the products we produce. As long as they continue to find value in our work, we will keep producing the best in Apple portable protection.

"Some of the best values in iPad Pro 12.9 bags, cases and sleeves are here..."

The Best in iPad Pro 12.9 Bags, Folios, Cases and Backpacks Pt 1

Though it's only been a few years, it seems like a lifetime ago that there was only one iPad. The original "magic" tablet was the last of the great Apple keynote / Steve Jobs introductions. Now we have what seems like as many Apple tablet models as we have Apple laptop models.

Just like their Apple laptop brethren, if you are going to move your Apple iPad through the world, it will need to be protected. Especially the largest member of the family, the 12.9. For this post, we going to look at best iPad Pro 12.9 bags, cases, backpacks, sleeves and folios from the company that created the Apple-specifc case market, MacCase.

If you are an owner of a 12.9 iPad Pro, you know that the tablet is big. It can be somewhat cumbersome at times. Luckily MacCase has, what has come to be known as "the selection" of the best iPad Pro 12.9 bags, cases, backpacks, sleeves and folios of any full line bag manufacturer.
So without further ado, here are the best iPad Pro 12.9 bags, cases, sleeves, backpacks and folios, part 1:

Leather iPad Pro 12.9 Briefcase

Although this is the newest addition to the MacCase line, the Premium Leather iPad Pro 12.9 Briefcase has become a customer favorite. It's imbued with all the best attributes of the Premium Leather Collection: timeless design, world class build quality, exceptional protection and functionality. What makes it such a favorite among 12.9 owners is the clarity it's concept and the uncompromised beauty of it's execution.

Conceived as a horizontal version of the company's popular, vertically oriented Flight Jacket models, this case features the same thin, relatively lightweight form factor turned on it's side. For anyone who prefers the traditional look of a horizontal form, this leather briefcase will fit you just like your favorite pair of jeans.

The first horizontal leather briefcase in the MacCase line, it's sole purpose is to protect and transport Apple's target tablet. While it can be used with the 13" MacBook Air and Pro, it's most at home providing security for the 12.9 iPad Pro with or without Apple's smart cover.

The signature feature of the under-flap storage area is what is considered the industry's best solution for protecting and transporting the Apple Pencil. The integrated, vertical pocket is the centerpiece of an area designed to hold the aforementioned Pencil, the AC adapter and cables, writing pens and credit and business cards among other items.

This is supplemented by the larger pockets in the main flap and rear of the case. A matching shoulder pad and iPhone slip case that fits onto the shoulder strap are available options.
With a host of clever storage details and a professional, compact silhouette, the leather iPad Pro 12.9 briefcase is the best solution for anyone looking to move their 12.9 through the world with elegance and grace.

Leather iPad Pro 12.9 Folio

You would think after making iPad folio style cases since day one of the iPad's existence there would not be any issues with subsequent designs. This could not be further from the truth! This is the single most difficult product MacCase produces requiring custom tooling to make the frame for each size iPad.

The first run of Premium Leather iPad Pro 12.9 Folios sold out as soon as they arrived followed by a host of 5 star reviews. This gave us an opportunity to update the design very quickly.  Several customers commented on the difficulty of reaching the notification and control centers when the iPad was in the horizontal orientation. This issue was resolved with the second production run. (All MacCase iPad Folio models with the expiation of the Mini have this new, expanded functionality).

A more functional frame joined a host of industry leading solutions that are part of the Folio's design. These include the best protection for the Apple Pencil and the best sound enhancement for the quad speaker system. Upon first glance, the leather iPad Pro 12.9 Folio seems deceptively simple. And on the surface it is. A beautifully crafted, hand made leather bound exterior makes up the front and rear cover.

It's only when you start to read the features list, the reviews, make your purchase and use one for yourself does the amount of engineering excellence and design content that each case contains start to sink in.

While many people are put off by what seems like a high price (somehow forgetting they purchased the most expensive tablet on earth) it has been stated by customers who have used the leather iPad Pro 12.9 Folio that it is worth every penny!

 Leather iPad Pro 12.9 Flight Jacket Case

You would think designing and producing an iPad Pro 12.9 version of what is your most popular design would be easy. It could have been.

If MacCase had taken their 13" Flight Jacket slapped on an elastic loop to hold the Apple Pencil and changed the name, it would have been. (The 13" and 12.9 iPad Pro Flight Jackets are basically the same size).

But the guy that runs the company doesn't often take the easy way out. Especially if there is a way to improve a product and offer a better solution to meet and exceed customer needs. Instead of just taking the 13" Flight Jacket and renaming it, MacCase Chief Creative Officer Michael Santoro looked to the company's flagship vertical leather Briefcase.

The Macbook Pro Flight Jacket models use velcro to secure the main flap and a stainless steel clip to secure the removable pouch. The Leather Briefcase uses a clip to secure the main flap and a velcro to secure the two sizes of removable storage pouches. The iPad Pro Flight Jacket utilizes the clip / velcro design of the more expensive Briefcase. This has several benefits.

It allows for a cost effective way to offer more storage options for the leather iPad Pro 12.9 Flight Jacket case which is one of the key features of the tablet specific model. Both large and small storage pouches are offered, along with a shoulder pad, backpack strap set and iPhone slip case as available options. Including choosing your color, there are 6 options for this iPad Pro 12.9 case which makes it the most customizable MacCase ever.

Like all iPad Pro 12.9 models, the Flight Jacket features the industry leading, integrated pocket for the Apple Pencil. Under the main flap, the pocket houses your Pencil in the safest and most secure way. Like it's horizontal bother, the under-flap area also has pockets for business cards, cables and other small items. The AC adapter can be stored in one of the removable pouches or in the main flap pocket.

The leather iPad Pro 12.9 Flight Jacket case carries on the tradition of all Flight Jacket models combining timeless design, bullet proof build quality and a spirit inspired by the rugged individualism of the American west.

To Be Continued...

Fo everyone at at MacCase, it's hard to remember that none of these MacCase iPad Pro 12.9 cases existed at the start of this year. And these 3 models are only a partial list. In part two, we will finish the review the models from the Premium Leather Collection as look at the nylon options from the MacCase standard line.

"The best iPad Pro 12.9 bags, cases, sleeves, backpacks and folios are here"

Premium Leather iPad Pro 9.7 Folio Case Preview

With our Premium Leather iPad Pro cases for the 12.9 arriving and shipping, we turn our attention to the 12.9's baby brother, our Premium Leather iPad Pro 9.7 Folio case. Our Folios for the iPad Pro, Air and Mini are some of our most popular models. Since the announcement of the 9.7, we have received many calls and emails asking when we would have the 9.7 Folio cases ready. Well, we are almost there.

MacCase has been making Folios for the iPad since Apple has been making tablets. Like the iPhone for Apple, MacCase's leather iPad Folio is the product by which many people become aware of our brand.  Our Folios have created many MacCase customers.

Let's face it, there are a lot of iPad cases available. Fortunately (or unfortunately) the vast majority of them are landfill waiting to happen. They are poorly designed, poor engineered and poorly manufactured to last a very limited amount of time before ultimately breaking and tossed away.

I can tell you right now that the Premium Leather iPad Pro 9.7 Folio case is about as far way from those cases as you can get. With many of these cheap, craptastic cases starting around $10 you going to need to be pretty special if your MSRP is $149.95.

Our new 9.7 Folio case is pretty special.

So what makes this leather iPad Pro 9.7 Folio case so special? Let's start with the heart of the case, the frame. The frame is where the tablet interacts with the case and where you interact with the tablet. It is the single most important part of the entire design.

Before any hides are picked or anything is sewn together, a great deal of time, money and energy is spent on developing the frame. In the case of the 9.7 model, a brand new frame was designed, engineered, built and tested. It worked flawlessly and was then discarded. Yup.

Why?

A few customers who purchased the 12.9 Folio called and wrote in to tell us that they could not access the Control and Notification centers when the iPad was in horizontal or landscape mode. We tested it and it was true. In order to access these controls you need to be able to touch an area in the black bezel just off the actual screen. When in the horizontal position, our frame blocked this area.

This realization was made just as the new tooling for the new frame for the 9.7 was being completed. So, while it did work perfectly, it was immediately scraped for a new design which allowed the access to these areas in the bezel. Was it expensive to have to go back and remake all the tooling to make the frame? You bet it was. Was it going to delay the production of the new leather iPad Pro 9.7 Folio case.

Yes.

Are these the types of things you do when you are trying to build the world's best iPad case?

Absolutely.

If the frame is not designed, engineered and built perfectly, it doesn't matter how soft the hides are or how well they are sewn together. The frame is stamped from a single sheet of alloyed steel. It's then folded and welded to a very tight specification to insure it not only holds Apple's newest tablet in place but that you have access to all the ports and controls. Even if only a small percentage want access to all the ports and controls.

We know our designs cannot be everything to everyone, but that does not mean you ignore something that can be improved through a little more work and cost. The frame has to be strong. If you've ever purchased a snap in plastic case for an iPad, you've learned that after a short time the corners develop cracks and eventually break off offering no protection for the most vulnerable areas. In essence, you've wasted your money.

Having this new lightweight, yet amazing strong, stamped steel frame securing your iPad vs. a cheap plastic frame is the difference between driving a Bentley to get somewhere vs. donning a pair of cheap, ill fitting plastic roller skates. At MacCase, we always remember, you bought the world's most expensive tablet computer. We design our cases accordingly.

The new frame is complimented by our integrated Apple Pencil pocket. Customers who have searched the internet for the best pencil storage solution have told us that the MacCase solution is the best from any manufacturer at any price. The 9.7 case overall is smaller than it's 12.9 big brother, but the Pencil pocket is the same size on both cases. Therefore, the Pencil pocket takes on a much more prominent visual role with the leather iPad Pro 9.7 Folio case.

Materials and colors will be the same for the 9.7 as the other Folios in the Premium Leather Collection. Our authentic, distressed Vintage hides, as beautiful as ever, will make up the majority of the first production run. The Vintage is complimented by our pebble grain, satin Black for customers who prefer a more classic looking case.

One note about the new design. The 9.7 iPad Pro and the current iPad Air are the same form factor. This means the overall size and shape of the two tablets are the same. Given this, we will use one design for both tablets. The Folio will accommodate the details of both tablets. iPad Air owners looking for the best in a folio style case will benefit from all the innovation and improvements made for the 9.7 as one design ail work for both model.

The iPad Pro 9.7 Folio case will be our best ever. We cannot wait for these to be inbound. Once they are, we will send out an update to let everyone know. We will begin taking orders at this time. Thank you to everyone who has expressed interest in our newest design.

"So what makes this leather iPad Pro 9.7 Folio case so special? Let's start with the heart of the case, the frame."