Travel companion: meet Custom House International’s pret-a-porter luggage line

Custom House international
Custom House International is a concisely designed line of soft luggage, ranging from backpacks and totes to briefcases and duffle bags, to suit those who take comfort in travelling light. Pictured: the 'Kirkman' briefcase
(Image credit: Custom House International)

Frequent fliers will know that having the right luggage by your side makes all the difference. A new accessories label, Custom House International, is making such a play with a concisely designed line of soft luggage, ranging from backpacks and totes to briefcases and duffle bags, to suit those who take comfort in travelling light.

Conceived in New York by former Roll & Hill co-owner Andrew Yang, Custom House International’s wares are proudly made in the United States. Its first collection draws inspiration from the hometown architect Wallace K Harrison (famed for iconic structures such as the Metropolitan Opera House and the Time-Life Building) and the International Style of architecture, plus the Bund in Shanghai, of which Yang was a former resident. Made from Cordura, a military-grade fabric that is water-resistant, stain-resistant and wrinkle-proof, the label’s wares are designed especially with lightness and portability in mind.

‘For years, I’ve searched for bags that didn’t make me look like a messenger man, or made it look like I was going camping,’ says Yang. ‘The way we travel is so different. Very few bags can look right going from a business meeting to dinner and then to the airport.’

Classic in shape, the bags each boast added functionality in compartments that separate journals, books and documents from more regularly needed bits and pieces (as in its 'Kirkman' briefcase), or carefully considered proportions that allow for two stacks of clothes, two pairs of shoes and toiletries to be packed efficiently (its 'Kirkman' valise).

The collection currently offers a tote, briefcase, valise in two sizes and a duffle bag, with a backpack to come in April. All of the top-handled designs can be quickly converted to sling styles with the addition of a leather strap. 

Custom House international

Its first collection draws inspiration from architect Wallace K Harrison and the International Style of architecture, plus the Bund in Shanghai. Pictured: the 'Custom House' tote

(Image credit: Custom House International)

Travel companion: meet Custom House International’s pret-a-porter luggage line

The roomy 'Custom House' tote boasts a thick molded zipper that fully separates and opens the bag, like a jacket. When zipped closed, this tote lives comfortably in the overhead bin of an airline cabin

(Image credit: Custom House International)

Custom House international

Made from Cordura, a military-grade fabric that is water-resistant, stain-resistant and wrinkle-proof, the label’s wares are designed with lightness and portability in mind. Pictured: the 'Kirkman' valise in medium

(Image credit: Custom House International)

Custom House international

All of the top-handled designs can be quickly converted to sling styles with the addition of a leather strap (pictured)

(Image credit: Custom House International)

Travel companion: meet Custom House International’s pret-a-porter luggage line

Classic in shape, the bags each boast added functionality in compartments that separate journals, books and documents from more regularly needed bits and pieces. Pictured: the 'Kirkman' valise in small

(Image credit: Custom House International)

INFORMATION

From $135–$425. For more details, visit Custom House International’s website

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Pei-Ru Keh is a former US Editor at Wallpaper*. Born and raised in Singapore, she has been a New Yorker since 2013. Pei-Ru held various titles at Wallpaper* between 2007 and 2023. She reports on design, tech, art, architecture, fashion, beauty and lifestyle happenings in the United States, both in print and digitally. Pei-Ru took a key role in championing diversity and representation within Wallpaper's content pillars, actively seeking out stories that reflect a wide range of perspectives. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children, and is currently learning how to drive.