Schott leather riders, 996 GT3s, Charlotte Perriand’s ‘Ombre’ chair: it’s a small (but very discerning) club when it comes to ‘stuff that ages well’. To that list, we’d make it a point — if you haven’t already — to add the words ‘RIMOWA Original Cabin’.
Hands-down one of the most recognisable luggage silhouettes of the 20th century, this anodised silver carry-on is, to lovers of object design, what the Meisterhäuser is to students of the Bauhaus: the singular distillation of an all-encompassing manifesto.
Anchored around the ethos of ‘functional luxury’, all of RIMOWA’s aluminium suitcases — Original Cabin included — are made and assembled in Germany. In the brand’s Köln atelier, an army of technicians variously hammer, rivet, and hand-balance the case’s unmistakable metal grooves diligently.
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The fruit of such methodical labour? A silver bullet of a bag: with the sleek lines of a Bombardier railcar, and build quality backed courtesy of RIMOWA’s lifetime guarantee (introduced for all suitcases purchased after 25 July, 2022).
Believe it or not though, even when your Original Cabin reaches the end of the factory line, that’s only the beginning of its story. In fact, by the admission of RIMOWA’s own execs, “a pristine case is still a work in progress”; and, it’s the act of travel — across cobbled footpaths and in overhead storage bins — that serves to mint the world’s most desirable suitcase.
Ultimately, even though every aluminium RIMOWA case is a unique reflection of its owner’s personal journey, you can expect the functional stuff to demonstrate first-class consistency.
The brand’s signature twin lock system is a cinch to get open at the TSA; the Flex Divider’s hook-and-pile fasteners provide great adjustability whilst packing your belongings; and (in stark contrast to all the D2C luggage brands you avoid online) your Original Cabin’s handle is engineered with a single, stage-free construction — when smooth manoeuvrability is a must.
No other feature, however, captures the propulsive ‘never still’ pace of the RIMOWA owner quite like the brand’s Multiwheel® system. Overengineered in the extreme (and we mean that as a compliment), this proprietary platform consists of four wheels, each mounted with ball bearings and its own individually cushioned axel.
That makes for a tougher suitcase in situations when your journey gets bumpy: because life’s journeys aren’t always going to be in business class seats and across plush hotel lobbies.
While RIMOWA offers its aluminium Original Cabin in three renditions, the ‘Silver’ colourway is the ideal for travellers who want their luggage to double as a personal statement.
Perfectly universal and designed “with longevity in mind”, there’s a reason why this trend-proof style is at the heart of the brand’s new Engineered For Life campaign. Dents and scuffs flatter the cool, ever-so-slightly reflective exterior; and, when a quick detour to the nearest in-store repairer isn’t in the cards, a well-placed sticker is as functional and it is fashionable.
If that’s not a peak example of ‘stuff, aged well’, then frankly, we don’t know what is.
This article is presented in partnership with Rimowa. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Boss Hunting.
