A discontinued and highly functional piece from PORTER’s long-running SMOKY line, this is the 2WAY Overnighter, model 592-06361 rather than the more commonly encountered standard SMOKY tote.

Designed as a crossover between a substantial business briefcase and a compact overnight bag, the 592-06361 measures approximately 45 × 31.5 × 16cm and was built around a large two-compartment format. Period specifications place capacity at approximately 27 litres, giving the bag enough room for office equipment, documents and laptop alongside clothing or travel essentials for a short trip.

The exterior is constructed from PORTER’s distinctive Cordura Duck, a proprietary hybrid textile woven with irregular Zimbabwe cotton yarn in the warp and strong 1000-denier Cordura nylon in the weft. The combination gives SMOKY bags their unusually dense canvas-like hand, considerable durability and characteristic muted colouring. Because the cotton and nylon fibres absorb dye differently, SMOKY develops a deliberately uneven, softly faded appearance rather than a completely flat black. Yoshida describes this as a defining characteristic of the fabric rather than simply conventional colour loss.

This example is finished in the classic sumi black colourway: a smoky charcoal-black that becomes more textured in appearance as the fabric ages. The contrast stitching, understated PORTER TOKYO exterior tab and traditional red-and-white Yoshida & Company interior label give it the low-key industrial appearance associated with earlier SMOKY pieces.

The layout is considerably more elaborate than a normal tote. Period specifications for model 592-06361 describe two main compartments, four exterior pockets, eight internal pockets and three pen holders, making it particularly suited to work and travel.

The side-running zipper allows the bag’s deeper overnight section to be opened out and makes the carrying capacity considerably more useful than its relatively clean exterior suggests. Long reinforced handles permit straightforward hand or shoulder carrying depending on load.

The supplied example presents in excellent pre-owned condition. The Cordura Duck shows the subtle tonal variation and natural fading expected from SMOKY fabric, while the main structure, handles, stitching, internal sections, YKK hardware and PORTER branding all present strongly.

Please note: model 592-06361 was originally sold as a 2WAY bag with a removable shoulder strap. The shoulder strap is not visible in the supplied photography and should only be described as included if physically present.

Yoshida & Co. was established in Tokyo in 1935 by Kichizo Yoshida. PORTER followed in 1962 as the company’s first proprietary brand, its name taken from the hotel porter — a profession Yoshida viewed as especially knowledgeable about luggage because porters handle bags constantly. The company’s longstanding design philosophy centres on functional construction and Japanese bag-making craftsmanship.

SMOKY became one of PORTER’s enduring fabric-led series. Its defining Cordura Duck combines cotton’s dry, natural texture with the strength and subtle sheen of high-denier Cordura nylon, resulting in a distinctly Japanese interpretation of utilitarian work and travel luggage.