Is Luxury Luggage Worth the Price Tag?

The concept of luxury luggage is far from novel. In the mid 1800s, a young Louis Vuitton founded his label designing highly personalized trunks and cases for fashionable socialites. The waterproof, ship-ready trunks allowed clothes to be laid flat—an innovation differentiating them from the standard curved-lid canvas bags of the day. Greta Garbo commissioned a shoe trunk, Ernest Hemingway took his Louis Vuitton library trunk to Italy and Tanzania, and couturier Paul Poiret asked for his fashion trunk—large enough to house the intricate fur-lined coating and ballooning lampshade tunics he created—to be painted with an anagram of his name. Suddenly, luggage was both individually designed and carefully crafted. There was no turning back.

Since then, offerings for discerning travelers have grown considerably, to say the least. From Rimowa and Tumi to Briggs & Riley, Carl Friedrik, FPM Milano, fresh models from legacy houses like Bottega Veneta and Montblanc, and new brands like Floyd, the options are greater and more sophisticated than ever before. This flood of bag options begs the question: which ones are actually worth the investment? And what sets the latest highly engineered luggage apart in a sea of never-ending black and gray suitcases?

If you ask Fanny Schricke, the chief product officer at German heritage brand Rimowa, it all comes down to “timeless design, inherent durability, and [the] lightweight nature of our suitcases,” she notes. The 128-year-old brand’s signature grooved metallic suitcases may be the most visually recognizable, beautifully minimalist luggage around. It’s the suitcase of Patti Smith, Alex Israel, Billie Eilish, and Spike Lee. Rick Owens called his Rimowa “a constant fixture” in his life, one of the few “essential” items he’s carefully selected in his stripped-down, day-to-day existence. Beyond its clear aesthetic markers, Rimowa is known for its 360-degree rotating wheels and in-house production. A lifetime guarantee means that years in, what initially seems like a high price tag will become a reasonable number for those who travel enough. “When you consider the decades of use a Rimowa suitcase can provide, along with the ability to repair rather than replace, its value becomes clear,” says Schricke.

A similar sentiment is held by other high-end brands, several of which—including Bottega Veneta, Floyd, and New York-founded specialty line Briggs & Riley—offer a lifetime warranty.

Melissa Morris, the London-based founder of leather goods house Métier, says the ideal piece of luggage “should be lightweight and feel great to carry,” adding, “It should make you feel organized and take away stress—not add to it.” Her discreet, impeccably crafted handbags are favored by Nicole Kidman, Alexa Chung, and Sarah Paulson. The Vérité Weekend bag may be the most beautiful (and practical) top-grade leather carry-on around. “Simply said, I designed this bag to bring ease to traveling,” Morris explains. “I put a hidden pocket in the top seam so you can easily access your essentials—your phone, your passport, your air buds—without having to stop and search. It just feels so beautiful to carry.”

Practicality and considered design can’t be undervalued, and Tumi may be the bag best known for such utility. It’s the luxury luggage option for the pragmatic traveler, the type less interested in screaming status than intuitive organization and ease of use. The brand’s 19 Degree line is its most popular. Think: ultra-lightweight recycled polycarbonate shells, antimicrobial coating to kill bacteria and minimize smells, and practical interior compression straps and zipped pocketing, qualities very much on view in the soon-to-release 19 Degree Large Expandable Checked bag, which is designed specifically to resist impact.

Bernd Georgi, the cofounder of German luggage line Floyd, admits he started his brand because he found “hardcase luggage quite boring and uncool.” Using co-founder Horst Kern’s 30-year-old luxury production business, they developed a model inspired by the surf and skate culture of 1970s California. “Why does every brand use more or less the same rattling wheels?” recalls Georgi, who wondered if the polyurethane wheels introduced to skateboards in the mid ’70s could be used instead. “It was a game-changer,” Georgi says. The luggage he and Kern made combined the durable (and easily self-replaceable) wheels of classic skateboards with a new click-and-lock system and vibrant color scheme. “Our clients are mostly self-confident people, sporty people, stylish people, and people working in creative jobs like designers, architects, and fashion people. I am still using my first case from five years ago and I’m traveling a lot,” says Georgi, who had just returned from kite surfing with his family in Tarifa and was about to fly to Japan, then Shanghai, when we spoke. “The main reason to invest is you feel better.”

Ultimately, few things can compete with a good feeling, especially when you’re traveling. Below, find our top picks for designer luggage that is actually worth the price.

This Marc Newson-designed suitcase pays homage to Louis Vuitton’s 19th-century aluminum trunks. It’s the house’s first aluminum suitcase—a modern, minimalist nod to its heritage crafted in a single piece of metal.

Here’s an incredibly lightweight, thoughtfully designed checked bag that will keep your garments safe (and well-organized) on long trips—and, frankly, on any holiday that calls for an extensive wardrobe.

Floyd founder Bernd Georgi describes his brand as Rimowa’s “sexy little sister.” The bright, streamlined travel cases lend a vibrancy that is matched only by their functionality.

Rimowa’s Original Cabin bag needs no introduction, and no best-luggage list would be complete without it.

The ultimate leather weekend bag, bar none.

This is a subtle, leather and polycarbonate cabin bag with all the markings of the classic pen maker’s detail-focused craftsmanship.

This well-designed wardrobe is ideal for a destination wedding, or any trip that involves formal dressing where you won’t have the time to steam or iron garments.

A beautiful, unmistakable cabin bag with the signature Intrecciato for which the house is known.

The perfect discretely designed, short-trip duffle bag.

A handcrafted Italian favorite known for its traditional craftsmanship and special collaborations with houses like Gucci and Milan’s 10 Corso Como.