PowerBook users are used to receiving admiring looks when they pull out their sleek portables. When you pull your laptop out of a Marware C.E.O. Milano leather laptop case, the first admiring glance may be diverted to this very elegant case.

A Distinctive Briefcase

As you unpack your Milano, you know you are in for something special. Carefully enveloped in a polyester cloth duffle, the Milano C.E.O. Brief declares itself in an assertive manner, an object of style and lasting quality. The C.E.O. Milano briefcase has a comfortable handgrip on the top. It ships with an optional adjustable shoulder strap that has comfortable padding to ease the strain. There is also an attachment for an iPod or cell phone case, which is sold separately. The attractive rectangular stainless steel clasp on the front is disappointing. It is not easy to close and appears somewhat fragile. Most seriously, the design of the clasp limits how much one can put into the case, as the latch will not close when the case is well filled.

Don’t Plan to Carry Much

Best suited to the laptop user who carries only documents and a portable, the C.E.O. Milano is stable enough to remain upright. The document pocket has room for some folders, pockets for pens and business cards, as well as a shallow zippered mesh pocket. The center of the case has a space partially defined by a removable wall to provide more flexibility. There is some room on either side of the well-padded section that safely encompasses your laptop. The center does not detach to accommodate a sleeve, although one may use the cloth duffle for that purpose. An external cut on the outside of the case provides storage for another folder, book, or power supply.

The C.E.O. Milano case is available in three sizes, so it fits iBooks and PowerBooks. Prices range from 139.95 to 159.95. The black cowhide leather is firm and backed with solid materials and a soft, long-lasting liner. The rugged construction does add to the weight of the portable although the shoulder strap may be comfortably worn diagonally to help distribute the weight. My biggest complaint with this case is that I can’t fit more in it. It is a sleek case, handsome enough to make many appearances.

Edited by Ilene Hoffman, Reviews Editor

by P.A.M. Borys