For Cape Town-based creative and designer Zakiyya Karim, the search for a bag that could keep up with her busy lifestyle became the inspiration for a business.

Moving between work, shoots, fitness, errands, travel and social plans often meant carrying multiple bags. Unable to find one that could move seamlessly between all those spaces, Karim decided to create it herself.

That idea has now become Out of Office, a locally designed and produced lifestyle brand launching with its debut weekender-style duffle.

Designed as a multi-functional carry-all, the bag is made to transition from a Pilates class to a full workday, a shoot, a flight or a Friday night without looking out of place in any of them.

“I was constantly moving between work, shoots, gym, errands, travel and social plans, and I needed multiple bags just to get through one day,” says Karim. “I wanted to solve that in a way that still felt considered, beautiful and lifestyle-driven.”

A BAG BUILT FOR MORE THAN ONE PURPOSE

The Out of Office duffle is the brand’s first signature product, combining a minimalist design with features aimed at people who are constantly on the move.

It includes a hidden shoe compartment to separate footwear from clothing and other belongings, yoga mat straps with press studs, an internal bottle holder and a waterproof inner lining. The spacious compartments are designed to accommodate the essentials needed for a full day without creating unnecessary bulk.

The fabric is also washable, while the entire bag is made in Cape Town, reflecting Karim’s decision to prioritise local production from the beginning.

Rather than being designed specifically as a gym, work or travel bag, the duffle is intended to move between all three.

FROM A PRACTICAL NEED TO A BRAND

Karim’s experience of constantly moving between different parts of her life was the starting point for Out of Office, but building the brand became a more personal journey.

She faced moments of doubt and external scepticism while developing an idea that had not yet been proven. Those challenges ultimately helped shape what Out of Office represents.

“Out of Office represents the courage to keep going, even when things feel uncertain,” says Karim. “It’s about backing yourself, pursuing your goals and creating the life you want, not just the life that looks productive on paper.”

The name itself carries a dual meaning. It references the familiar status message associated with stepping away from work, while also serving as a reminder to actually disconnect from deadlines, inboxes and the pressure to constantly be productive.

For Karim, the brand is therefore about more than the bag. It is about making space for the life that exists outside of work.

MADE IN CAPE TOWN

Out of Office enters the market at a time when South Africans are increasingly balancing professional ambitions with fitness, wellness, travel and social lives.

The brand aims to fill a gap between overtly sporty, corporate and fashion-focused bags by offering a design-led option that combines function with versatility.

Made in Cape Town for people who move through Cape Town and beyond, the Out of Office duffle is available through the brand’s online store in Blank Page and Morning Coffee.

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