Rimowa returns to its roots with its new leather-clad carry on
Rimowa’s ‘Distinct’ carry-on sees the German luggage brand’s unique ridged suitcase clad entirely in leather – a fabric Rimowa hasn’t used in this way for over a century
Despite its sleek, minimally adorned exterior – the effect of which is wholly contemporary – German luggage house Rimowa’s new ‘Distinct’ line actually represents a journey back to its roots as a case manufacturer in Cologne at the turn of the 20th century (this year, the brand celebrated 125 years in business with a travelling exhibition).
That’s because, instead of its now-signature ridged-aluminium casing, the ‘Distinct’ line is entirely enveloped in leather, a material which Rimowa says has not been used by the brand in this way for over 100 years.
That said, the ‘Distinct’ line – which currently comprises a version of its ‘Cabin’ in black and navy leather – nonetheless marks yet another technological leap forward for the brand, which prizes continuous innovation and an ongoing evolution of its signature pieces.
As such, each ‘Distinct’ case is crafted using a precise leather-wrapping process, whereby the fine sheets of the material are moulded onto a solid aluminium case to retain Rimowa’s recognisable ridges (originally inspired by the grooves of the world’s first all-metal aircraft). Protective bumpers on each corner are designed to safeguard your belongings while in transit.
A final flourish comes in a colour-matched leather luggage tag – which can be customised with your initials – a symbolic link to Rimowa’s beginnings in the golden age of travel.
The ‘Distinct Cabin‘ by Rimowa, £2,490, is available in black and navy at rimowa.com.
A version of this story appears in the January 2024 Next Generation Issue of Wallpaper*, available on international newsstands, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today!
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Jack Moss is the Fashion Features Editor at Wallpaper*, joining the team in 2022. Having previously been the digital features editor at AnOther and digital editor at 10 and 10 Men magazines, he has also contributed to titles including i-D, Dazed, 10 Magazine, Mr Porter’s The Journal and more, while also featuring in Dazed: 32 Years Confused: The Covers, published by Rizzoli. He is particularly interested in the moments when fashion intersects with other creative disciplines – notably art and design – as well as championing a new generation of international talent and reporting from international fashion weeks. Across his career, he has interviewed the fashion industry’s leading figures, including Rick Owens, Pieter Mulier, Jonathan Anderson, Grace Wales Bonner, Christian Lacroix, Kate Moss and Manolo Blahnik.
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