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.
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
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
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
All of the top-handled designs can be quickly converted to sling styles with the addition of a leather strap (pictured)
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
INFORMATION
From $135–$425. For more details, visit Custom House International’s website
-
Oscar Ouyang’s imaginative knitwear makes him a London Fashion Week name to watchThe Guangdong-born designer, who recently graduated from Central Saint Martins, will hold his first runway show at LFW tomorrow. As part of our Uprising column, Wallpaper* gets a preview of the collection
-
The new Nothing Ear (3) are fine-sounding earbuds with added audio functionalityNothing’s latest upgrade brings the Super Mic to its earbud range, enhancing call quality and creating a handy voice memo taker
-
‘Marie Antoinette Style’ at the V&A dares us to consider the woman beneath the artificeThe most intriguing objects in the V&A’s landmark exhibition on Marie Antoinette are not the sumptuous gowns or jewellery, but those which expose the French monarch’s corporality – from her spittoon to a toiletry case – argues India Birgitta Jarvis
-
This boisterous cocktail bar in Denver was inspired by Le CorbusierA 1950s furniture showroom has been reborn as a modernist social hub in the city’s Sunnyside neighbourhood. Its cocktails? Semiprecious
-
In Los Angeles, Darling doesn’t want to be your average dinner spotVinyl, live-fire cooking, and California’s finest ingredients come together in this immersive new concept from a celebrated Southern chef
-
The best dinner party in San Francisco is thrown at this bistro and vinyl barA new chapter begins in Mission Creek as Side A opens in the former Universal Café space
-
Daisy Margarita Bar reimagines the Mexican tavern with vaquero flair in Los AngelesFrom frozen guacamole margaritas to lamb shank with frijoles puercos, this new Sherman Oaks destination mixes playful gastronomy with tradition
-
Javier's, a new cathedral-inspired restaurant in downtown LA, offers a divine take on Mexican cuisineAt the restaurant's newest location, discovery lies around every corner – and on every plate
-
Why everyone in LA is talking about Café TondoHelmed by chef Valeria Velásquez and designed by Aunt Studio, this new spot delivers Latin American buzz all day long
-
Size doesn’t matter at Now Now, a micro-hotel for solo travellers in New YorkCan you pack style into 32 square feet? We find out
-
At this LA dining hotspot, go Spanish or Japanese as you pleaseA dual-concept dining destination designed by the Rockwell Group brings Mediterranean warmth and Japanese precision to Century City
