If bags are a familiar category in fashion, a newer concept is set to become the story of this summer – the suitcase.
With the holiday season in 2022 dominated by stories of lost luggage – and the rule to keep liquids under 100ml for carry-on being scrapped in 2024 – large bags for the hold may become less commonplace. Cabin bags of the maximum dimensions allowed by most airlines (typically around 56cm x 36cm x 23cm) are becoming ever more popular – with a spate of newer brands vying to become the suitcase of the summer.
July, founded in 2018 in Australia, claim to make the lightest double-wheel carry-on suitcase for £195, a design that can even be put under the seat at a push. Nere, which began in 2022, also in Australia, have made colours their point of difference. Their pink suitcase (£119) is a bestseller. Beis, meanwhile, is a celebrity favourite. Founded by influencer and actor Shay Mitchell in 2018, the brand – which also focuses on bright cabin bags (£223) with matching under-the-seat bag (£91) – is preferred by Hailey Bieber and Gigi Hadid.
This shift is seen across retailers and shopping options. Nere’s profits were A$1m (£0.53m) in a year, and they have sold 1.5m units. Beis’ 2022 profit was $120m (£93m), with forecasts up to $200 (£156m) for 2023. John Lewis report that sales of cabin bags are up 75% in 2023. Those on a smaller budget might have bought into the popular £15 “viral Ryanair cabin bag” which, at 35cm x 20cm x 20cm, fits under the seat at no extra cost.
Nere CEO Felicity McGahan says their brightly coloured suitcases are fulfilling a demand from consumers. “‘Pink suitcase’ is the second most used search term after ‘black suitcase’,” she says. “Every generation can pull [off pink].”
The introduction of brights does make a change from the typically black or grey suitcases seen in the departure lounge. “[Luggage] previously came from a men’s aesthetic – [it was] designed for men by men,” says McGahan. “This brand is designed by women so we have that perspective, but we want to be gender neutral. Our first purchase in the UK was a lilac bag bought by a man.”
Away and Rimowa have long been the in-the-know choices for fashionable frequent flyers. These newer brands look set to flourish, however, because they respond to changes in how consumers want to travel now. “Travel has been in chaos over the last couple of years. People were freaking out and fearing check in,” says July founder Athan Didaskalou. “Travellers want to be in control of their luggage.”
Emma Davidson, fashion features director at Dazed, frequently travels for work, and says this has affected her packing strategy. “I [now try] really hard to only take a cabin bag away with me because I [am] so scared of things going missing,” she says. “For any trips of up to about 10 days, I still rarely check anything in.”
Davidson currently carries a “very sturdy” carry-on bought in TK Maxx 15 years ago. She may, however, make a change this summer. “I’m not really about ‘designer’ suitcases,” she says “[but] July’s cabin bag has really caught my attention and I’m thinking about investing. For an already light traveller, the promise of the world’s lightest cabin bag is very tempting.”
