Ted Baker and Proporta team up to make pretty iPhone cases

There are plenty of brands associated with the iPhone, but Ted Baker and the House of Fraser are usually not among them. However, the latter thought so much of the former’s new range of iPhone cases that it threw them party, uncorked the champagne and poured some designer cases into our hands.

Ted Baker, teamed up with accessory veterans Proporta, have crafted a selection of thirteen leather cases, pouches and hard shells to tie-in with the designer’s Autumn/Winter range. The result is some pretty sweet iPhone 4 cases, at less sweet designer prices.

The premium offerings are the male and female leather cases. At £39.95, you get quality leather with a rigid feel to it. You also get a protective flap that, for men, holds your most important cards. Women? You’re blessed with a compact mirror and a poppy print lining.

The best cases, as judged by the harem of females, were the Patent Leather Style Pouches. Aimed at the female market (although, you know, who are we to judge personal taste?) They come in red or black with either an embossed bow and pull tag, or an oversized zip for easy pouch access. The zip edition was the real favourite, drawing crowds and coos of “I wish that my [make of mobile phone] fitted in that!”

Luckily, we had an older iPhone available for testing, and we’re pleased to announce that for the Leather Style Pouches, older models of iPhone fit in without a hitch. In the Leather Cases, it’s a tight squeeze, while the hard shells are definitely anti-iPhone 3G.

Whilt the hard shells may not be as forgiving as the other models, they are the cheapest option (£29.95). They’re basically the same as any clip-on shell you might meet, except with some fancy prints and Ted Baker on the back. It’s a bit of a steep price, but they are some of the best-looking hard shell cases on the market.
We did an extended trial of the Leather Case for Men (no mirror, unfortunately) and found it beautiful and mostly functional. The magnetic-closing flap is a real joy to fiddle with, and comforting too. It’s as if some unnatural force has been harnessed to pull the case closed, protecting your screen from damage.

The Leather Case also avoids the mistake of reducing button availability. All of the buttons are accessible, and although the standby button is hidden, you can easily push it through the case.

Unfortunately, it’s a bit chunky. If you like skinny jeans or prefer unstrained pockets, it’s not for you. And the leather that holds the phone in place gets in the way of the touchscreen at times, creating a minor annoyance.
So while the jury is still out on the Leather Cases (they’re certainly fine on the eye), pouch fans everywhere should rejoice. Especially ones with feminine tastes; the women’s range offers the most stylish phone pouch in the world.