Meet HENK, the $20,000 Suitcase

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed)
Aug 25th 2009 at 3:02PM

All I know about luggage is Samsonite and American Tourister (and Louis V., of course), so I admit I am experiencing a wee bit of sticker shock from HENK, the $20,000 suitcase. But I'm sure you, Luxist readers, are much more sophisticated than I, at least in the travel arena, so you may be interested in meeting HENK. Let's see what you get for this price ... But first, a disclaimer. The HENK site is one of those that no matter where you click, you don't get a new/unique URL. So I apologize for not being able to take you to all the sections directly. This is a DIY post.

First, the story behind the bag -- click on "Go to the story" on the main site, or read this detailed Forbes article. As with many success stories, HENK was borne out of dissatisfaction with a current product. A Dutch businessman named Henk van de Meene wanted to create a better piece of luggage after struggling with his bag one busy day in LaGuardia.

Then, the workmanship -- each HENK is handmade in The Netherlands to your specifications. Here's an example: "The choice is yours: from glossy carbon fibre and smooth calf leather for the exterior to high-tech fibre, horsehair or even cow hide with a zebra print for the interior." There are a slew of colors, and the HENK site promised to do its best to meet your customization requests.

Then, two styles from which to choose -- Travelfriend (shown above) and Attaché Case (see gallery).

HENK promises to feel practically weightless and to be sturdy, easy to maneuver with its large wheels, easy to unpack with its dual door design, easy to wheel with its telescoping handle, hard to lose with its retractable "leash," and really luxurious due to its high-end materials -- and the knowledge that it was made just for you. (But if you're not as particular about color or materials or in more of a time crunch, select from the ready-to-ship collection and the limited edition collection.)

[Thanks, Norman]

Gallery: Meet HENK, the $20,000 Suitcase