Rimowa opens its new luxury luggage store on Bond Street

Luxury German luggage company Rimowa's flagship concept store interior

Luxury German luggage company Rimowa has opened a flagship concept store in London’s prestigious New Bond Street

(Image credit: Rimowa)

Old and New Bond Street are thought to have the highest density of high fashion stores anywhere in the world. Now, the west London microcosm can add luxury German luggage company Rimowa to its list of extravagant residents. The ribbons were cut last night at a star-studded cocktail opening, where VIPs were welcomed into an expansive, 220 sq m, aviation-themed space.

'There has been such demand for Rimowa in London that I have wanted to open a flagship on New Bond Street for a long time,' explains president and CEO Dieter Morszeck. And what a flagship it has turned out to be. The store shares the same design language as the cargo-hold of a plane, except the suitcases on display have more personal space than most passengers. Sections of the walls and ceiling have been covered with arching swathes of aluminium to form a holographic, industrial backdrop, in front of which artful displays of suitcases perch on white, lacquered stages.

Making our way through the fuselage, eyes are drawn to an exclusive showing of the 'Junkers F13 by Rimowa' presentation, which displays Rimowa's reproduction of the legendary Junkers aeroplane – the first all-metal aircraft, created in 1919. Made from an aluminium-alloy called Duralumin, the Junkers F13 was crafted from the same material as the first ever Rimowa suitcase.

Today, Rimowa have swapped Duralumin for a high-end polycarbonate. 'ONYX', a new range launched at the London store, makes use of this lightweight material and impresses with its classic Rimowan groove design, lavishly embedded with leather strips.

The new flagship (or flag-plane?) also marks the sales launch of the Rimowa 'Electronic Tag' system; a pioneering technology that allows luggage to be checked in from home using a smartphone – a frequent flyer's dream.

Morszeck concludes, 'With this concept store, Rimowa marks another milestone as a premium brand. London is one of the most important cities in Europe and we are delighted to be opening this innovative store in such a prestigious location.'

Sections of the walls and ceiling covered with arching swatches of aluminium — Sections of the walls and ceiling have been covered with arching swatches of aluminium, to form a hologramic, industrial backdrop, in front of which artful displays of suitcases perch on white, lacquered stages

Luxury German luggage company Rimowa's flagship concept store exterior — ’ONYX’, a new range launched at the London store, makes use of a lightweight polycarbonate and impresses with its classic Rimowan groove design, lavishly embedded with leather strips

The opening night saw bespoke floral displays from Les Ephemeres

INFORMATION

For more information, visit Rimowa’s website

Photography courtesy Rimowa

ADDRESS

Rimowa
153A New Bond Street
London, W1S 2TZ

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Elly Parsons is the Digital Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees Wallpaper.com and its social platforms. She has been with the brand since 2015 in various roles, spending time as digital writer – specialising in art, technology and contemporary culture – and as deputy digital editor. She was shortlisted for a PPA Award in 2017, has written extensively for many publications, and has contributed to three books. She is a guest lecturer in digital journalism at Goldsmiths University, London, where she also holds a masters degree in creative writing. Now, her main areas of expertise include content strategy, audience engagement, and social media.