What’s in a bag?

While the top luggage brands continue to push the technical limits with bells and whistles and wheels that really do work, we also love some of the
irreverent styling that’s becoming popular. After all, who’s going to miss your teal-green Thule as it comes down the conveyor belt? And as the global traveller takes on a youthful energy, it’s become as acceptable to fly first class with your oversized sporty luggage, as with your tough-as-nails Samsonite
hard body. For the conscious traveller, you can always win back some of your carbon footprint by investing in some upcycled bags that are made from repurposed yacht sails and Bedouin tents.

GET SPORTY

Taking your bike on holiday? Heading for the hills? A house full of teenagers? We all have reasons for investing in one of these stylish hold-alls, but you don’t
really need one. It’s simply a convenient, fuss-free way to travel. Thule’s definitely the leader of the pack when it comes to rugged weekenders, but we’re also loving the local flavour from Cape Town upcycling outfit, Sealand.

OLD SCHOOL

Both Polo and Tumi have gone for retro styling with new luggage collections using suiting cloth and leather. It’s a warm hipsterish look that is timeless too — and you know the older they get, the better they’ll look!

TRUE BLUE

A stylish suitcase brand to look out for is Lipault — best known for its colourful Parisian handbags. In addition to eight signature suitcase colours — like this classic and oh-so-French navy blue — Lipault launches three new colours every season based on fashion trends. The  streamlined Tumi backpack is sophisticated and elegant — with all the convenience that comes with hands-free travel, but without a whiff of student style.

FIRST CLASS

Hard-shell cases now come in varying degrees of “hardness”, so you can choose just how tough you want your bags to be. The sporty-looking American Tourister Lightrax is lightweight, and features a new luggage lock to prevent any zip movement by locking the zips securely into the body of the bag with a combination lock.

The Samsonite Octolite range is ahead of its time, combining cutting-edge materials with modern styling. The unique shape, with rounded corners, adds strength, while maximising volume. We think it looks good too. The Samsonite Cosmolite in Copper Blush must be the most sought-after suitcase of the year. The suitcase brand has always set the standard when it comes to quality and styling, and Samsonite continues to be a serious favourite.

LOOK AT ME

There’s a lot to be said for a classic — but we also like to spot our suitcase as soon as it tumbles onto the conveyor belt. This camo edition by Tumi, as well as the lipstick red by Lipault, give a sure-fire guarantee you’ll be seeing your suitcase at once. Polo has also always believed that a shock of colour gets you noticed.