Satchels closely resembling modern briefcases began being used by soldiers in the Napoleonic Wars. In 1860, 10 Downing Street began to use a red briefcase to hold British budgetary papers, which created an association between briefcases and economy and business. Briefcases became status symbols for those associated with white-collar professions such as business and law in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.

Modern