Handmade meets high-tech

Today’s most prized items are those where “handmade meets high-tech,” whether it’s a couture dress, a designer bag or an artisanal piece of jewelry.

It’s no different in the world of travel, where the human touch, coupled with space-age technology, can elevate something as mundane as a suitcase into an object so perfect you feel it’s almost a shame to use it.

I thought I’d reached luggage nirvana with Rimowa’s polycarbonate range, but it turns out I’d only scratched the surface (pun not intended). While Rimowa’s Salsa Air series has become the jetsetter’s “it” bag in the Philippines, in countries abroad it’s the brand’s aluminum collections that actually dominate the market.

Rimowa’s long-time customers are aware that Aluminum  (or Al, for you Breaking Bad fans out there) is actually the DNA and core material of the German brand, which has been around for over 100 years.

Groovy history

In 1898, when wooden suitcases were the norm, Rimowa founder Paul Morszeck resolved to produce the lightest possible luggage and started making travel trunks out of leather, which soon caught on with the fashionable, high-society set.

It was his son Richard, after whom the company is named — Richard Morszeck Warenzeichen (Trademark) — who capitalized on more high-tech aluminum, inspired by the material and design of Junkers aircraft. The silver metal was so durable it was used to construct airplanes, and yet so light it facilitated liftoff. Thus, Rimowa was the first to manufacture aluminum trunks in 1937, followed by aluminum suitcases in 1950. 

Always intent on creating the next innovation, Rimowa found that pressing grooves into the metal allowed for the greatest possible stability with the least amount of weight. Consequently this literal wrinkle was added, and Rimowa’s grooved design quickly became emblematic of the brand. When you talk about Rimowa, you’re basically talking about groovy aluminum luggage, or, as their latest ad campaign puts it, “the original luggage with the grooves.”

First-class travel companions

According to Erica Ilacad, Adora’s communications manager, first-time customers who buy aluminum tend to prefer Rimowa’s Topas range, the brand’s signature, which was first introduced in the 1950s but still remains some of the lightest and sturdiest luggage available today.

The hardcases are made of an aluminum-magnesium alloy that protects your luggage contents from high humidity and extreme fluctuations of temperature, making it an ideal choice for tropical weather conditions.

Inside is a height-adustable system of packing dividers that lets you organize your belongings in the most efficient, neatest way possible. An extra garment bag is even provided for ultimate clothing care.

The telescoping handle features a new technology. While my Salsa Air handle stops at two heights, the aluminum range offers stageless adjustment, so you can set the handle to any height you wish, and the ergonomic shape lets you push and pull the luggage with ease.

Back in the day when I used to wrestle with tiny padlocks and keys, I would encounter every possible nightmare situation, from locking my suitcase with the key still inside to leaving my key case at the hotel or airport.

I no longer have to worry about such things with Rimowa’s TSA-approved combination locks, which are recessed right into the luggage frames so you can do away with padlocks and keys altogether. Now all I need to remember is my combination number.

The Multiwheel system, which lets you roll the case smoothly and effortlessly over uneven ground even if it’s packed to the gills, is now as hushed as the interiors of a luxury car as well, thanks to a new wheel housing with cushioned axles.

A new feature I’m particularly fond of is the Add a Bag holder, which gives you the option of attaching a handbag, attaché or beauty case to your luggage, thereby freeing up your other hand and performing a kindness to your shoulders and back.

Not heavy, but light metal

The Topas line encompasses a trio of collections. While the original Topas is a striking silver, Topas Titanium possesses all the above features plus distinctive style. Interiors are lined in high-quality poly-jacquard in brown, to match the smoky golden exterior. Topas Stealth boasts all of that plus a trendy new look in elegant black — as sleek as the Stealth Bomber in black anodized aluminum.

Each collection has multiple suitcase sizes that cater to your every travel need — from the two-week vacation to the three-day business trip to the overnight getaway. For businesspeople there’s the Business Trolley, which acts as a mobile office with its many practical, removable compartments. The Beauty Case, meanwhile, features packing options for all your fragile bottles and containers.

If you really want to go retro, the aluminum Classic Flight collection combines the vintage look of the early days of aviation (handcrafted leather handles, a decorative inner lining and packing straps) with the modern characteristics of 21st-century luggage (silver aluminum-magnesium shells, telescopic handle, smooth-rolling Multiwheel system and TSA combination locks).

Another interesting thing about aluminum: it gets better with use and age. Though I rue every scratch and dent on my polycarbonate suitcases, the normal wear and tear of travel actually enhances the look of aluminum. Like the laugh lines on a person’s face, the marks you leave on your aluminum luggage only add to its character and uniqueness, making it more beautiful.

Personally, I can’t think of a better way of immortalizing all the memories from my travels.

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Rimowa’s aluminum luggage ranges are available at Rimowa stores in Greenbelt 5 (ground level), Adora Greenbelt 5, Power Plant Mall Rockwell (ground level), Newport Mall Resorts World (ground level) and Glorietta 4 (second level).