RIMOWA has always been a high-concept luggage maker steeped in both history and acclaim, but less than a decade ago, it spoke rather softly in a world of comparatively louder and more prominent luxury brands.
That all changed when LVMH breathed new life into the company after purchasing an 80% stake circa 2016. The course had been corrected and its trajectory was suddenly moonbound.
The full force of this resurrection came to a head on April 15th, 2024, after eight years of collections, collaborations, and cameos gave it the momentum it needed to throw an event of this scale.
The location? S-Factory, in the Seongsu district of Seoul, Korea. Over 400 invited guests the world over were joined by two of the biggest names in popular culture — global ambassadors Sir Lewis Hamilton and Rosé — to welcome new seasonal colours for RIMOWA’s Essential collection.
Why Seoul? Burgeoning popularity aside, considering the sheer calibre of event attendees, it’s likely Seoul was the only place in the world; and April 15th was the only date within the entire calendar year when such an elite roster of names could all be rounded up into the same room.
Hamilton, for one, had barely let his tyres cool down from the Japanese Grand Prix before he was seen in New York for a GQ gala. Days later, he was back across the Pacific for this very event in Seoul, and in the hours that followed, he was walking into the paddock at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.
RIMOWA CEO Hugues Bonnet-Masimbert welcomed Hamilton with open arms. Few people in the world embrace the brand’s ethos — “No one builds a legacy by standing still” — more than the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion.
But the pandemonium inside the event hall and the thousands of fans lining the streets outside were more than likely making noise for K-Pop superstar Rosé (one-quarter of the chart-topping Blackpink). The cultural power in the room had to be felt to be believed, which was only boosted by appearances from Korean actor Rowoon, as well as members of Korean boy bands Seventeen, EXO, and Treasure.
The circular showcase surrounding the chaos was an immersive display of RIMOWA’s lightweight polycarbonate heroes — the Essential collection — in two glorious new colour palettes: mint and papaya. A larger-than-life reflective papaya sculpture took centre stage and flanked the VIPs as they entered the space.
Available in a variety of sizes, the new hues are nods to the sensory experiences travellers enjoy in tropical destinations around the world. Mint, a luminous and delicate share of green, draws inspiration from the washed, pastel-hued building facades of cities like Havana or Miami. Papaya radiated brightly in the flashes of the paparazzi cameras on the night, much like the beachside sunset that inspired it.
RELATED: The History Of RIMOWA & How It Became An Icon Of Modern Travel
The halo of adoration and hysterics surrounding S-Factory on the night showcased how much the Arnault family’s Midas touch can transform a brand (and in such an impressively short span of time). Millions of dollars were spent, thousands of fans caught a glimpse of their heroes, and two new colourways made headlines around the world.
RIMOWA’s new Essential collection colours — Mint and Papaya — will be available worldwide from May 2nd. Now, come behind the scenes of our 72 hours on the ground in Seoul with RIMOWA below.
