It’s all in the bag

I don’t use backpacks. But for some people, backpack is the way to go. Some say, it is comfy. Others attest that it is easy on your body and you really don’t have to be mindful about it. It’s carefree and with backpack, everything is in.

Sometimes though, when using a backpack, your personal things go awry. However, there are some backpacks that have been redesigned to fit your needs. For example, there are side pockets where you can place your bottled water. Some have inside compartments fit for an iPad, ballpen, notebook and other things. And for backpack lovers, there is one bag that suits a busy person’s casual needs — Hedgren. Almed Garcia of Backroom is a “suki” of Hedgren bags. She has the backpacks, shoulder bags, sling bags and travel bags. They are light, comfy and durable. They come in different colors, with designs that are stylish. She has been buying Hedgren at Travel Club for the longest time.

Recently, the Travel Club celebrated its 20th year. My friend Sunny Ku invited me to the event but my haywire schedule prevented me from attending it. Sunny says that Travel Club, which started in 1992, is the country’s very first concept store for travel.

As the first one-stop shop for travel, The Travel Club has grown from a small independent luggage store in SM Megamall to a multi-branch outfit found all over the Philippines.

December last year, Travel Club marked its anniversary at The Travel Club’s maiden store in SM Megamall. Tessa Prieto-Valdes, who was the special guest, lent her signature look to the equally stylish store.

Since the inception of The Travel Club, the store has grown to carry international brands for luxury travel luggage, business or pleasure, fashion or function.

Among the popular brands at the Travel Club are Tumi, Ace, World Traveller, Victorinox, Delsey, Mendoza, JanSport, Timbuk2, Hedgren, High Sierra, Eastpak and Healthy Back Bag. All these fill the stores’ shelves.

Also, The Travel Club has long been an advocate of practical and environmental-friendly ways to travel. Mad About Travel, a yearly event mounted by the store and the Primer Group of Companies, has become a most anticipated gathering for travel enthusiasts. In 2012, four stops in Cebu, Davao and Manila were highly-attended by local shoppers.

The concept store, in its 20-year stint, has been awarded numerous times for its efforts in promoting travel by the Department of Trade and Industry, as well as other awards in marketing and retail.

During the store’s 20th anniversary party, Travel Club gave recognition to the efforts of the people who have worked to build The Travel Club into a 40-branch empire, particularly key employees from the Primer Group of Companies.

Aside from being an authority in providing top-notch products, The Travel Club has continuously evolved over the years by constantly coming up with innovations that address the ever-changing needs of the modern-day jetsetter. These include a slew of product additions, events and promos that aim to give back to its beloved patrons.

Here are some of the celebrities’ favorite travel bags:

LJ Reyes — For the personal bag that I can carry around, I love Longchamp. I never worry about my things getting wet and I can put in a lot of stuff, too.

Dawn Zulueta — My favorite traveling bag for overnight trips is my large Longchamp. For long trips, I use Rimowa.

Tintin Bersola — It’s a long strapped Damier shoulder bag because it is very spacious, lightweight and sturdy with dark straps.

Bianca Gonzalez — I love my extra large duffle bag that I roll into my luggage when I leave. Should I shop for anything when I travel, I take it out of my maleta, roll it out and fill it with things to go home.

Drew Arellano — My Nike 6.0 skateboarder bag. I don’t skate but it has lots of spacious compartments perfect for my “light packer” attitude when I travel for two during my Biyahe Ni Drew shoots.

Gretchen Barretto — I have no favorite travel bag. Everything would depend on my mood, my clothes and the number of days that I would travel.

Mariel Rodriguez — My favorite luggage is Rimowa. It is the most practical because of the wheels. It is also very sturdy. My travel handbag must have a zipper. Very important for it to be big enough because I carry more than the usual when I travel. The YSL muse is one of my favorites.