WITH many men now the proud owners of a man-bag, we caught up with Fabian Lintott who has launched his own wholly individual business.

Dividing his time between homes in Boscombe and Hertfordshire, Fabian’s brand Rufus Country has been producing luxury man-bags, handbags and satchels for a growing legion of celebrity fans.

“One of our key celebrity customers is stand-up comedian Rufus Hound, as he’s got one of our bags. We know that the actor Danny Mac and Peter Andre have also got one of our bags, plus a number of other celebrities. We’re growing that kind of fan base and pushing the brand that way,” says Fabian, 36.

Celebrity role models, the rise of hipster culture and homeworking have all been cited as reasons behind the increased popularity of the male accessory.

“The growth in men’s accessories has been huge. There’s a couple of our styles that we sell to both men and women. Our mid-sized satchel is perfect as a unisex bag. The work bags are designed for work with space for iPads, phones etc. obviously the handbags are everyday bags,” he added.

“Things have also got a lot less formal. A few years ago your briefcase was your workwear staple and now as workwear has got a little less formal, so has what you carry as an accessory. Satchels and man-bags have become acceptable.

“Also men in particular have woken up to the fact that accessories are something they want to spend money on. It’s not just reserved for women buying expensive handbags. Men are now thinking hmmm, I want to buy a nice bag.”

With men becoming increasingly image-conscious and accessories a key part of any look, Fabian is passionate about the materials he uses to represent a mixture of old-fashioned style and contemporary cool.

He knows that creating demand is essential and hopes to get customers to buy into his distinctive brand that is available from the Rufus Country website.

“Our style is quintessentially English and vintage-esque, but with a modern twist. The leathers we use aren’t modern, they’re steeped in history and made in the traditional way.

“They come from a small family run tannery in Italy. They produce fantastic leathers and that was a key thing for me, to use leathers that are rarely found in the high street. But with the ability to sell them at high street level prices, rather than going up into your thousands for luxury leather goods.”

Keen to keep the cost of his bags reasonable, with prices starting at £145, Fabian also wanted to ensure they were of the highest quality.

For Fabian, the beauty of his bags is the character of the leather.

“I wanted to do things slightly differently and not go down the traditional route. I can let my customers know what leathers I’ve used, what makes it special and how the natural tan leather is going to change as you use it. It gets darker and richer.

“It’s that background knowledge of the materials, which you don’t get on the high street. Rufus Country products are not designed to be kept in a glass cabinet to be bought out on high days and holidays. They have function and should be used. We guarantee all our bags for five years and we want are bags to be engineered to last and value for money.”

For more information please visit the website www.rufuscountry.uk