Rimowas, groovy metals, and fearless check-ins

There are only a few sounds I could not bear; among them are nails on a chalkboard, footsteps in the dark, and precious luggage scraping against each other on the baggage carousel. The last is also quite the sight — it hurts my eyes to see Rimowas tumbling down conveyors. There is a greater travesty, however, and that is putting the luggage through that little airport machine that wraps them in a web of protective plastic. Rimowas are made of metal. It was the first luggage manufacturer to use aluminum for trunks way back in 1937, and the first to use aircraft aluminum with its trademark grooves in 1950. Metal = hardcore. Bombproof. If Rimowas could speak, they’d probably say, “Keine angst!”

Handmade meets high-tech

No luggage is without battle scars; a well-worn one, carrying more stories than files and clothing, is a charming one. Rimowa itself has its own share of stories, many of which are about German engineering and craftsmanship, and its journey across the globe as a maker of premium quality luggage. When the company launched its first aluminum trunk, after it created wooden suitcases (in the lightest possible construction) through the early 1900s, it became a global hit, selling unique traits such as lightness and premium quality. Rimowa’s Classic Flight, Topas, Topas Titanium and Topas Stealth ranges are made of aluminum.

In 2000, Dieter Morszeck, Rimowa’s president and CEO since 1981, introduced recyclable polycarbonate to their luggage — the same impact-resistant material used in aircraft windows also makes it possible to create ultra-light suitcases. Dents disappear on their own.

Newer suitcases also feature TSA-certified combination locks with combined cylinders that can be opened and closed for security checks without damaging the luggage. The patented Multiwheel systems greatly improve the mobility of the suitcases. Modular interior compartment systems, pivoting handles and the development of tha Tango trunk, as well as the brand’s collaborations with Lufthansa and Porsche are all testaments to Rimowa’s reputation’ a maker of timeless, high-quality, premium products.

But however cold and calculated the process of creating the products may seem, Rimowa luggage still manage to give off warm and fuzzy vibes to serious globetrotters, celebrities, rock stars, and tycoons included. It’s the appeal of the handmade — aluminum Rimowas, each with 200 individual parts going through over 90 processes, are handmade to this day. And they dominate the market in this insta-age. 

Getting into the groove

The brand’s characteristic grooves — those whose subtle glints many travelers know so well, didn’t come until 1950, when they were incorporated into the aluminum design to provide the greatest possible stability with the least amount of weight. The grooved design in gleaming, silver aluminum has become the trademark of Rimowa. And you thought they were just there to get in the way of décor, or attract scratches.

I read somewhere: “Aluminum dents, just look at the soda can.” Obviously, the comparison is flawed, but it is true that scratches and dents are inevitable travel occurrences. Rimowa uses technology that rules out breaks or tears in suitcase shells, but aluminum is not scratch-resistant. That’s its way of getting better with age — it’s a material that’s meant to be used, and it maintains its integrity like all precious metals, so that it can be recycled in the same quality.

Anyway, who wants to carry a perfect metal suitcase? Check it in without fear. Let it ride the carousel for other kids to see. Rest assured that it will be up for the challenge. You want your Rimowa to suggest that it’s gone places, just like you.

* * *

Rimowa is available at Adora, located in Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati. Call 0917-557-7402 (second floor) or 0917-5577405 (third floor) for more information, e-mail info@adora.ph or visit the website at www.adora.ph.