Armani Exchange is one of the newest brands to venture into e-mooks, and it does so in a stylishly masculine way that will have both ladies and gents swooning. Although this e-mook has a particularly male slant — it is mostly sold in the men’s interests section of the book shop or magazine store rather than the ladies, I still love the clean lines and utilitarian sexiness exuded by the A|X mook’s furoku tote.

The magazine itself is pretty basic and a bit forgettable — unless you really subscribe to the Armani aesthetic and are looking for some style clues to copy. However, I am delighted to note that the blandness of the magazine does not seep into then attached tote, which is by far one of the best ever when it comes to Japanese e-mooks.

The tote is constructed of heavy-coated waterproof canvas, with a lovely criss-cross texture similar to Le Sportsac’s signature patterned canvas. It is built tall and wide, and can easily contain documents or even tablet devices, but go any thicker and you will ruin the bag’s slim form. The straps feel heavy and secure, and are wide enough to sling on your shoulders. Lastly, the A|X tote comes with a small zippered pouch attached to the straps by a ball-chain — a very nice touch to keep your tote organized since the bag itself does not come with pockets.

At around SGD 31 (or roughly PhP 1000) this e-mook is another nice investment for e-mook collectors, or just folks with designer tastes but not designer budgets. It is my new favorite tote, second only to the unforgettable YSL e-mook tote from AW 2009.