The immediate takeaway from RIMOWA's leather-wrapped suitcase line is that the LVMH-owned luggage label's $3,300 cases are its most expensive suitcases on the market. The more interesting takeaway is what RIMOWA's leather-wrapped suitcases say about the 125-year-old company itself.
Revealed in a slick editorial shot at the Musée Soulages, RIMOWA's Distinct Cabin suitcases are, essentially, RIMOWA's conventional aluminum cases wrapped in leather. A RIMOWA Cabin suitcase not wrapped in leather, for reference, retails for $1,500.
Nothing to sneeze at, sure, but that's less than half the price of RIMOWA's leather cases. Again, we're talking about a $3,300 MSRP.
There's some advanced craft at play here, to be clear. It was likely an engineering feat to faithfully follow the inimitable grooves of RIMOWA's suitcases with supple leather, for instance, but RIMOWA's Distinct Cabin line is really only distinct by its leather exterior.
And that's kind of the point. RIMOWA's leather suitcases cost what they cost because they ought to be, because that's the kind of company that RIMOWA is.
RIMOWA has never admitted to being anything other than the uppermost crust of the luxury luggage biz but with reframed focus on leather artisanship, RIMOWA is establishing itself as a player in pure luxury, luggage irrelevant.
Consider this: RIMOWA typically only enters the wider luxury sphere with its partnerships. And these are great partnerships, mind you — RIMOWA's resume includes Tiffany & Co., Porsche, Dior, Nike-owned metaverse makers RTFKT, artist Daniel Arsham, and ample custom jobs for famous clientele like Nigel Sylvester — but they're also "RIMOWA and...."
Similarly, RIMOWA's in-line experiments, like its oblong bottle-toting cases, are fun one-offs but they aren't indicative of the opulent waters in which big fish RIMOWA swims.
The leather suitcases are all RIMOWA. Tiffany's sparkle and Porsche's badge aren't needed to give this collection its luxurious trappings, which are in turn reflective of RIMOWA's own brand positioning.
They are a tangible manifestation of RIMOWA's luxury aspirations, pricey totems with a depth beyond their price tag. And $3,300 is a tall order to be sure, ensuring that the Distinct Cabin cases outprice other statement carryalls from LVMH siblings like Louis Vuitton ($2,500 duffle bags) and Dior ($2,800 Book Tote).
RIMOWA's cases fulfil an entirely different purpose, of course, but it's all about a shared attitude.
Even more importantly, RIMOWA's leather-wrapped suitcases straddle heritage and fancy, balancing the maison's interests in age-old craft and contemporary luxury. This is RIMOWA transitioning from being a mere luggage label into a luxury label proper.
Launching on RIMOWA's website and stores on November 2, the Distinct Cabin suitcases are not meant to be bestsellers. They're beautiful, exquisitely-constructed lines in the sand. With this offering, RIMOWA is demonstrating that it can obscure its suitcases' aluminum frames — arguably the most recognizable element of a RIMOWA case — and charge even more.
The timing does seem right, though: LVMH is truly entering the era of the obscenely expensive accessory.
