‘Be an ass’: David Shrigley and Globe-Trotter unveil witty new suitcase collaboration
Travel light in baggage and humour with artist David Shrigley’s whimsical new suitcase designs for luxury travel brand Globe-Trotter

David Shrigley has something of a way with words. With each off-the-cuff quip, eavesdropping-style phrase and drawing rendered in his inimitable scrawl, often-dark subjects are tempered with cartooned whimsy; Shrigley has invented his own unfiltered, deadpan brand of social commentary, and the world can’t seem to get enough.
Shrigley’s distinctive humour – both universally accessible and microscopically niche – found in public sculpture, works on paper, gallery installations, and a multitude of editions (mugs, rugs, tea towels, and even inflatable versions of his illustrations), are also deployed in top-tier brand collaborations, including a carte blanche with Ruinart, a limited-edition collection for Sunspel and a banana-themed swimming pool for Soho House’s new Brighton outpost.
Now, the visual wordsmith has turned his verse to a new collection for British luxury travel lifestyle brand Globe-Trotter, known for handcrafted luggage and leather collections. The new limited-edition series features newly commissioned David Shrigley artworks presented on the exterior of their iconic four-wheel carry-on cases.
Shrigley takes Globe-Trotter’s ivory-vulcanised fibreboard case as his canvas, with the cobalt blue corners studded with brass rivets functioning as a frame. Original works such as Untitled (Be an Ass) and Untitled (baggage) pop from the case in electric azure paint.
As the sun-seeking season begins to pick up pace following a global grinding halt, making a bold statement en route is a must-have travel essential.
And what could turn more heads in the airport terminal – prime territory for both eavesdropping and observational commentary – than a bag that reads: ‘I have some baggage, but it’s not much of a problem’?
Ideal for those who prefer travelling light – in comedy and luggage – both designs feature on Globe-Trotter’s four-wheel suitcase in a carry-on size.
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Each case will be part of a limited edition of five and is available from 18 June 2022 online and in the Globe-Trotter flagship store at London’s Burlington Arcade, where the original commissioned artworks are also displayed on the first floor.
INFORMATION
Harriet Lloyd-Smith was the Arts Editor of Wallpaper*, responsible for the art pages across digital and print, including profiles, exhibition reviews, and contemporary art collaborations. She started at Wallpaper* in 2017 and has written for leading contemporary art publications, auction houses and arts charities, and lectured on review writing and art journalism. When she’s not writing about art, she’s making her own.
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