No matter whether you’re a diamond-tier frequent flyer or more of a biannual vacationer, quality hard-case luggage is never a bad investment.
Nowadays, the ultimate designer suitcase comes in all sorts of shapes & sizes: be it a trunk, classic aluminium trolley, or even canvas designs that recall the Golden Age of travel (with all the modern refinements of course).
In this BH Buyer’s Guide, we give you the fast track to some of the best designer suitcases on the market. From the ultimate ‘go anywhere’ carry-on to checked bags that are as functional as it is stylish, we’d highly recommend getting around these prior to your next flight.
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Rimowa Classic Check-In M
DETAILS
- Grooved aluminium
- Signature lifetime warranty
- Made in Germany
- 71cm x 47.5cm 26cm
Truly, what is there to say about Rimowa that hasn’t already been said before? The Cologne-based maker of the ‘luggage with the grooves’ (in which LVMH has had a controlling stake since 2016) crafts the most recognisable and coveted multi-wheel cases in the world.
The brand’s ‘Classic’ designer suitcase offers the purest distillation of this aim – inspired by the anodised aluminium cases Rimowa has been making for decades. Easily capable of storing enough clothing for a week-long trip, we think this qualifies as best-in-class luggage design.
Flex dividers secure your packed items on either side of the Classic almost perfectly, and the Multiwheel® system (first patented by Rimowa in 2001) makes this one of the smoothest riding suitcases in the game.
Louis Vuitton Soft Duffle 2R 55
DETAILS
- Damier ‘Graphite’ canvas
- Co-designed by Marc Newson
- Made in France
- 32cm x 55cm x 25cmhe
Only a small fraction of the world’s designer suitcases can hope to achieve the sort of universal popularity that the Louis Vuitton ‘Horizon’ collection enjoys.
Conceived in collaboration with legendary Aussie designer Marc Newson, the Horizon family of luggage consists of a range of hard and soft-sided styles – with something for 99% of well-heeled travellers. With the archetypal BH flier in mind, our pick of the bunch is the Horizon soft duffle.
Made in Louis Vuitton’s much-aped Damier canvas, this designer suitcase is fitted with an external trolley system – so mobility doesn’t come at the cost of the duffle’s traditionally generous carrying capacity.
Montblanc #MY4810 Trunk
DETAILS
- Polycarbonate with leather accents
- Complimentary customisation
- Made in PRC
- 37cm x 41cm x 80cm
An increasingly wide array of brands are getting in on the action of trunk-style luggage – and Montblanc is one of them. The Swiss label’s MY4810 style is crafted in lightweight polycarbonate: made up of a matte finish with just the right amount of discrete tone-on-tone branding.
In line with most of Montblanc’s leather goods and luggage lines, this designer suitcase is also offered with free personalisation. Beyond the obligatory bag tag, the brand’s reps will also make buyers a custom name tag – available in three colours.
Paravel Aviator Grand
DETAILS
- Recycled polycarbonate and aluminium
- World’s first carbon-neutral checked bag
- Made in Italy
- 46.35cm x 71.1cm x 27.9cm
This large check-in design is the signature offering from Paravel – an insider-y New York travel brand who are obsessed with sustainability.
Described as “the world’s first carbon-neutral checked luggage”, the Aviator Grand is a great option when packing for multiple travellers. Or indeed, if you just need a surplus of outfit changes. The case easily holds anywhere between 8–10 days worth of clothing, with additional space for multiple pairs of footwear.
A quick walkaround on the hardware front also drives home just how much low-impact material is used in the construction of this designer suitcase. The polycarbonate shell and aluminium handle both use recycled materials, while the interior lining has been fashioned from 21 recycled plastic bottles.
Supposedly, even the median number of carbon emissions you’ll produce during your first trip with this bag in tow has been offset. Thoughtful!
Kith for TUMI Rolling Trunk
DETAILS
- ’19 Degree’ aluminium
- All-over KITH monogramming
- Made in PRC
- 87.12cm x 40.64cm x 35cm
No surprise that New York’s King of collaborations – who has worked with everybody from BMW to Giorgio Armani – also happens to have a partnership on the go with Tumi.
The upmarket Samsonite sibling has produced a small edit of luggage to accompany Kith’s Winter 2024 collection, with several of the pieces injecting a fresh new sensibility into the core Tumi range.
Made of aircraft-grade aluminium, featuring grooves shaped at a fluid 19° angle, this co-branded rolling trunk is our pick of the litter. The all-over logo monogramming is well-executed – you really have to stare for a moment to pick out the ‘KITH’ motif – and on the technical side, this is easily one of the most elaborate designer suitcases we’ve included on our list.
Three packing cubes in different sizes (also decorated with the Kith x TUMI branding) are included.
Globe-Trotter x 007 Leather-Trimmed Check-In Suitcase
DETAILS
- Vulcanised fibreboard
- Part of the 007 collection
- Made in England
- 52cm x 76cm x 26cm
Real or fictional, living or dead, few travellers can rival the style of James Bond – pop culture’s mythical British superspy.
In tribute to the character’s many adventures over the decades, casemaker Globe-Trotter presents the 007 collection: stacked with the sort of luggage you could easily imagine in the boot of Bond’s 1960s DB5.
Of these, we’re quite partial to the monochrome-coloured large check-in. This is basically the upsize sibling of the 007-edition carry-on: complete with handmade leather corners and twin carbon steel locks.
Unlike most of the designer suitcases in our guide, Globe-Trotter’s large check-in isn’t crafted out of aluminium or polycarbonate. Instead, the brand has developed a proprietary material called vulcanised fibreboard. Consisting of 14 layers of recycled paper that have been bonded with zinc, it’s extremely durable and lightweight.
Horizn Studios H7 Air
DETAILS
- German polycarbonate
- 100-day free trial
- Made in PRC
- 77cm x 51cm x 27cm
A European travel brand with deep connections to the zeitgeist, Horizn Studios has collaborated with a who’s who of international brands that run the gamut from BMW to Milan’s Salone del Mobile.
Fortunately, even once you take away all of the brand’s partnerships, the core product range is rock-solid: offering German polycarbonate, spinner wheels made in Japan and low-waste textiles at a very palatable price.
The ‘Essential’ and ‘Smart’ series have both been big hits for Horizn over the past few years. But if you fancy yourself a minimalist, the newer ‘Air’ range should be first on the wishlist.
True to its name, this rolling suitcase is crafted using the lightest polycarbonate shell the brand has ever made. Clean in appearance, except for the signature silver-line logo, it’s a great option for travellers who prefer their luggage go unnoticed the next time it comes off the carousel.
Gucci Porter Cabin Plus Trolley
DETAILS
- Aluminium and ‘GG’ supreme canvas
- Produced for Gucci by FPM Milano
- Made in Italy
- 40cm x 55cm x 24.5cm
Today, the House of Gucci is arguably most famous for its loafers and seasonal fashion collections; but what is less well-known is that the Italian fashion behemoth can trace its early origins back to the dawn of 20th-century luxury travel.
Those beginnings are still echoed in the brand’s range of contemporary luggage designs – like the ‘Porter’ cabin bag. Set on four 360° spinner wheels, this suitcase’s exterior is manufactured in a mixture of aluminium and Gucci’s signature ‘GG’ canvas.
Fun fact: over the last half-decade, the brand has entered into an exclusive partnership with high-end case maker FPM Milano.
The upshot? Rimowa notwithstanding, these Gucci Porter trolleys are likely the most premium carry-on you’ll be able to find.
If you’ve enjoyed this shortlist of our favourite designer suitcases, consider exploring a few more of our signature buyer’s guides below:
