Time Travel With Rimowa As The Luxury Luggage Line Sails Into New York With A New Retrospective
Baggage claims everywhere are laden with what has become the world’s most hyped luggage. But not content with just taking over the carousel, Rimowa’s new exhibition wants to take you on a tour as well…
How many luxury labels offer a lifetime guarantee for their products? When you think about that assurance, suddenly buying a piece of luggage from Rimowa seems like a very astute investment. That was probably the thought that went through pilot Michael Moore’s head when he purchased his Duraluminium suitcase – it ended up serving the conflict zone aviation expert for over 20 years, surviving a plane crash and even a surface-to-air missile hit. “Even though it is empty now, it still contains a lot of memories,” he recalls, of the item that is just one of the fascinating components of the maison’s Seit 1898 exhibition (‘seit’ in German means ‘since’) that illuminates Rimowa’s evolving history, marking its illustrious 125th anniversary milestone.
“Our key challenge was how to tell the story,” states Rimowa CEO Hugues Bonnet Masimbert. “How to stay true to our brand – not to be caught up in the past as we are
constantly bubbling creatively and looking forward – but reflect how multifaceted we are. We put together a story that was resolutely geared towards the future even though we showcased some very old pieces.”
Parallel Routes
Given the frenzy of post-pandemic jet setting, Seit 1898 perfectly captures the current zeitgeist, enticing both Rimowa fans and wanderlusters with this immersive journey
through the history of travel. “There is a return to normality, and we wanted to celebrate that,” agrees Hugues. The Cologne-based label, known for combining precise German
engineering with cutting-edge design, has a trajectory that mirrors innovation in how we move; it started off in 1898 as a saddlery shop for horse and carriages, but soon embraced the automotive movement with leather and wood suitcases, boldly using
aluminium on steamer trunks. The distinctive, now-iconic grooves – a subtle Rimowa ‘logo’ for those in-the-know – came into play in 1950, echoing the Junkers aircraft that were dotting the sky. Learning about Rimowa leads seamlessly to learning about the evolution of exploration.
Unexpected Diversions
The unprecedented shutting of borders had its own effect as the company rapidly pivoted into new travel bags and accessories. “We always had a plan that we wanted to expand towards mobility products, but Covid brought a sense of urgency because we were strictly dependent on fourwheel suitcases,” Hugues explains. So as people couldn’t travel, we were
faced with the biggest challenge of our history. We accelerated the development and launch of the Never Still daily mobility collection. It forced us into a different pace and a new level of reinvention. It changed the way the world – and ourselves – viewed travel.”
Check-In Time
Grab your boarding pass – a literal ticket to the display – and step into a time capsule that takes you through a series of dioramas. Study the intricate and seismic tweaks made to the over 100 cases, sourced from rarely seen archives and lent by famous loyalists like Adwoa Aboah, Roger Federer, and Patti Smith. Marvel at customised specialist pieces made for connoisseurs protecting chess sets, golf clubs, model airplanes, violins (which took five years to perfect) and Pharrell Williams’ keyboard.
Since Rimowa was welcomed into its stable by LVMH in 2016, collaborations have continued unabated with the likes of Off-White, Supreme, Fendi, Porsche and Dior pushing boundaries of design and experimentation. “It starts with creativity, which is the opposite
of the comfort zone for German engineering brands,” laughs Hugues, adding, “but it works really well for us.” A Mission Impossible fan? Rimowa’s briefcase played a starring role, and it’s taken its place in this presentation that doubles up as a homage to pop culture too.
Joining The Baggage Carousel
The exhibition is on its own grand tour, having started its itinerary in Tokyo’s Harajuku in June, with plans to stop in New York’s Chelsea Factory from the 8th to the 17th of September, then heading to Shanghai to illuminate Chinese aficionados before settling down in its home town of Cologne in Spring 2024.
“The what is more important than the who,” insists Hugues when pressed as to who he hopes will saunter through its doors. “We want to trigger emotions – the fact that we are guaranteed for life – isn’t that insane? We are rooted in our principles but so versatile, able to go from the twisted to the crazy sometimes. That is core to who we are. I want visitors to feel that. You see a diversity of owners – we want them to feel safe with their containers, proud of them, and ideally excited by them!”
Middle Eastern clients have cottoned on to the lure of the label, becoming a key market; “We opened our first store in Dubai just five years ago, and since then we have opened in Qatar and Saudi,” Hugues enthuses. “It is exciting, so impressive. There is so much room for us to play. The region has become a hub for the world and that is fascinating for me. I see its vibrancy – it’s become so international.”
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s September 2023 issue.