As a side note to Bonhams' classic car auction at the annual Greenwich Concours d'Elegance in Connecticut this weekend, the sale also includes some reminders of a more elegant age of motoring. In addition to the amazing automobiles on offer, there are a few rare examples of perfectly-preserved traveling cocktail, picnic and tea sets in leather cases from the 1910s and '20s.
More elegant and elaborate antecedents of the kind of picnic sets still produced by the likes of Dunhill - such as the one my colleague Rigel Gregg wrote about the other day - these are the sort of cases one's servants would put into the boot of the Rolls for a day's motoring along with a hamper of delectables from Fortnum & Mason (which are still available today - see the gallery for a picture of their $200 Regent hamper featuring champagne, truffles, paté and port).
Included in the Greenwich auction is this gorgeous Dunhill traveling cocktail set from the 1920s featuring a nickel cocktail shaker, four stacking tumblers, a glass bitters bottle with a silver plated top and three silver plated spirit flasks, in a monogrammed honey leather carrying case, est. $3,000 - $4,000. If these days it seems a bit odd that so much thought and effort went into ways of drinking and driving, remember that as often as not one's chauffeur did the actual work behind the wheel.
The history of the illustrious London luxury goods maker known today as Swaine Adeney Brigg goes back over 250 years. They've been supplying various items to Britain's Royal Family for 200 of them, and as those monarchs tend to be a traditional lot, the firm has basically remained unchanged in all that time. However, even this storied, not to say stodgy, company has decided it's time to freshen things up a bit. They recently brought in Alexander McQueen's former accessories chief Dominic Laurelli as design director to give SAB a much needed facelift.
Laurelli's first creation is the new St. James luggage collection. Laurelli tells us he drew on the understated elegance of 1920s luxury travel and the great Coco Chanel for inspiration, and says the St. James line is intended to be "synonymous with both traditional English leather goods and contemporary, modern style" (two words seldom heard around SAB). The collection is made from a durable anthracite tweed-like fabric with a water resistant backing and bridle leather detailing.
With his newly-released Fall 2008 collections for Tumi, Nautica founder David Chu is continuing the revitalization of the travel brand begun when he was named its creative director last year. Since his appointment, Chu has launched various new collections including the Alpha, using Tumi's signature black ballistic nylon, and the upscale Townhouse Collection for men. He has given the company an image makeover as well with new high-style ad campaigns featuring supermodel Shalom Harlow and an array of classic sportscars (see above).
For Fall 2008, Chu has made an appropriately seasonal modification to the spring Townhouse line, which featured khaki cotton twill and saddle leather. The Fall collection is rendered in a gray covert cloth that's a hallmark of classic British tailoring. As a counterpart, he has introduced new designs for women as well. We're also big fans of Chu's eponymous luxury menswear line, which he started after VF Corp. acquired Nautica for $585 million in 2004. Obviously Chu, who personally made over $100 million on the deal, could have just retired then and there, but we're definitely glad he decided to keep working.
For the person with absolutely no secrets, there is the Skeleton attache from Japanese designer Hideo Wakamatsu.The attache is made of strong panels of PETG which is the same material used on arcade games. The panels are framed in anodized aluminum. What a way to show off your favorite items. It is now on sale for $188.
For Louis Vuitton lovers the ultimate gift might be the Ultimate Travel bag. The company has teamed up with fashion editor of the Times of London, Lisa Armstrong, to create the bag which is being auctioned in aid of CLIC Sargent, a London-based charity benefiting children with cancer. The bag is inspired by the silhouette of the Eole bag but has two separate compartments trimmed in purple leather. The bag also includes a passport cover, cashmere eyeshades and a blanket, a computer case, a transparent toiletries kit, a foldable jewelry kit, a laundry pouch and an evening leather clutch. Bidding ends December 18th.
For the most part, luggage is pretty functional. Historically, more thought has gone into its functionality rather than its form. And should it be any other way? Luggage serves to carry our clothing and shoes to our destination. But in recent years, its become more of a fashionable accessory. Take for example, Samsonite's Black Label and the uber-cool Hideo luggage line. Luggage has not only improved on its functionality, but it is becoming an extension of the traveler's sense of style. Designer Joey Roth has raised the bar in luggage design with his latest creation. By drawing inspiration from the "lost romance of air travel" and "the golden age of ocean liners", Roth has created an ultra modern and sleek wheeled suitcase for the style conscious and efficient traveler. Your adventure begins even before you've left your home. Made of bamboo plywood and finished in a black lacquer, form and function is artistically combined resulting in more of a traveling wardrobe case than a suitcase. The four drawers easily pull out to function as your dresser-on-go, while the bottom drawer is built especially for your laptop. The wood bar serves as a carrying handle, once it unfolds, it allows you to roll the suitcase.
For their 100th anniversary, the luggage company, Globe-Trotter, went traditional expanding on their classic looks of the past. For their 110th anniversary they have stepped away from the past and into the future with this design which was created by Ross Lovegrove, whose work we most recently saw in the sinuous Muon speakers. The suitcase is done in curved carbon fiber. The case goes on sale in January, no price has been released yet.
This little gadget, the Cavius is a new travel alarm with four functions for travelers. it can be used as a personal deterrent, it emits a high-pierced noise to startle attackers. It can be attached to a hotel room door or drawer to guard valuables and it also serves as an optical smoke detector for use in tents or boats. The Cavius even protects your luggage because is has a movement detector to prevent people messing with your stuff. The four-inch Cavius sells for $79.95.
What kind of luggage you carried used to be a simple choice of personal style and durability, but in the post 9/11 world things are different. Regulations for air travel are not only much stricter than they used to be, but they're also changing all the time. Having a set of luggage that you both love and can use/is in compliance for more than one trip is a valuable thing these days!
But thankfully the luggage market is stepping up the the challenge, especially the brands with upscale globe-trotting clientele bases. They're coming out with bags that are lighter than ever, tougher than ever, and of course, more stylish than ever. Many companies are even providing carry-on essentials like ziplock plastic bags and appropriately sized plastic bottles. And that's helpful, seriously.
Sports cars and traveling with luggage don't usually go together, and for good reason. It's a hassle (if not impossible) to fit any kind of baggage into most cars that are designed for performance and style at the expense of storage. But that's not an issue for Ferrari owners, and hasn't been since 1977 when Schedoni became the official supplier of made-to-measure leather luggage for Ferrari. The history of how the fitted luggage sets came to be for Ferrari by the Schedoni family is a long one, dating all the way back to 1880 and filled with family tradition.
Whether I am preparing for a weekend trip or a long vacation, I find packing and sorting through all the things I need stressful. I usually end up trying to pack everything in one bag that doesn't hold everything, resulting in multiple small bags. It may seem obvious to any logical person that I should carry one larger bag, but just call me a nonsensical packer. In hopes of becoming more efficient in packing and traveling, I end up going to multiple stores trying to find the right piece of luggage or packing aides that will make the entire travel experience stress free, but to no avail. It appears WEJETSET may be the answer to what I've been looking for. Deemed as the "store and voice of the modern travel culture", WEJETSET will provide design forward & functional items that will enhance your travel experience. From luggage & backpacks to travel aides & apparel - they appear to have it all. I am more then eager to see what they have in store for us when they launch their online store in September. As a promotion, WEJETSET is giving you the opportunity to win a 2008 Mercedes C-class sports sedan with a set of luggage from one of their favorite brands. You heard right folks - a Mercedes C-class! Enter for your chance to win. In addition to the contest,they are looking for travel correspondents to report on their travel experiences, adventures and solutions.
Bright yellow seems to be the color of the season this spring. The daffodil bright hue is everywhere. Here we see it on the new Casablanca Bag from Smythson. It's part of Smythson's first travel collection. The bag is linen with a yellow calf leather trim with an ostrich print. The bag is lined in yellow fabric and has a leather base with protective feet. It also has a detachable shoulder strap. The bag sells for £625 but is unfortunately currently out of stock.
The Louis Vuitton Taïmyr is a bag that is designed with the young, modern business man in mind. It is very lightweight and large enough (14.2" L x 11.1" H x 6.3" W) to be practical for traveling without being a pain to carry around. It is made of textured leather and canvas with a smooth leather trim. The top pocket has an unusual, slightly forward-facing zipper, which provides easy access to the main compartment and the contents of the bag, though there are several exterior pockets that are perfect for items that require easy access. The LV logo appears subtly on the front flap and on the adjustable shoulder strap. Price: $1,210.
Isabella Rossellini is the spokesmodel for the Samsonite Black Label Vintage Collection, which was designed to have the same sort of "timeless beauty and classic appeal" that she exudes, but in luggage form. Each piece uses leather detailing, often accented with metal studs, and uses bold colors that will never get lost in the crowd at the baggage claim, although some more neutral colors are available as options if you don't want your bags to attract too much attention. Pictured here are the mini and beauty bags, but the line also includes duffels and wheeled uprights with both hard and soft sides.
Since you can't take a whole lot in your carry-on luggage these days, it's important to have a bag that is easy to recognize at the baggage claim in case you need to check it. After all, the only thing worse than spending unnecessary time at the airport is having to go back to the airport because someone took your luggage by mistake. The Lula Holiday Duffle stands out from your average traveling bag because it is just a bit girly, a nice change from utilitarian black and navy bags. It is made of brown Italian leather with gold lambskin trim and a satin lining. At only 17" x 12" x 7", it could easily be carried around during the day in lieu of a regular handbag and it will definitely fit under the seat in front you on a plane - provided there are no liquids in it, of course. Price: $473.
The history of the illustrious London luxury goods maker known today as 
The Louis Vuitton Taïmyr
