Travel news, reviews and intel for high-flyers

The Best Statement Carry-on Bags for Fall

These pieces may come with investment-level pricing, but you won't need to replace them next year

by Laurie Brookins

October 16, 2024

Luggage / Photo: Shutterstock/Media Photos

Let’s face it: Commercial flying used to be infinitely more glamorous than its current iteration. No matter which fare class is purchased for a short hop or transcontinental voyage, ultimately we all share a common goal: to arrive at our destination reasonably on time and to traverse the airport with a minimum of hassle. (Private jets, of course, are another matter, often involving bypassing crowds and being whisked straight to the plane, which delightfully is waiting for you, not the other way around.)

So where is the glamour in air travel today? Look at the wheeled carry-on bag for the answer. If you’ve chosen a status piece from a heritage brand, surely you appreciate the inherent style that can be found within any journey. Perhaps you know that Guccio Gucci got his start as a bellman at London’s Savoy hotel, or that Salvatore Ferragamo was once the preferred shoemaker of Gloria Swanson and Rudolph Valentino in Hollywood in the 1920s. Such anecdotes, combined with the handcraft that likewise extends back more than a century, has resulted in highly coveted luggage and other pieces. They may come with investment-level pricing, but they also won’t be transient items you’ll need to replace next year. That idea is also pretty glamorous.

Louis Vuitton Horizon 55

Louis Vuitton Horizon 55

The case known as Horizon 55—so named because it stands 55 centimeters tall, or 21.7 inches—has been offered in a variety of motifs over the years, and for Fall 2024 men’s creative director Pharrell Williams has added a splash of modernity. Over a faded canvas, the case is emblazoned with “Marque L.Vuitton Déposée,” a trademarked logo established by house founder Louis Vuitton in 1888 because he found too many competitors were copying his designs. The fringed accent can be personalized and matches the leather trim. Interior features include flat-bottomed compartments, a divider with pocket and elastic straps, and a textile lining.
$4,100, at louisvuitton.com

Dior and Rimowa Carry-On Luggage

Dior and Rimowa Carry-On Luggage

Dior has been partnering with Rimowa since 2019 on a capsule luggage collection, and the latest piece indeed highlights the best of both worlds. Crafted in lightweight aluminum, this 21.5-inch carry-on weighs 9.5 pounds and blends Rimowa’s signature grooved exterior motif with Dior’s blue Oblique print in a gradient effect, created by a process of aluminum anodizing. Features include handles on both the top and sides, four CD-signature multidirectional wheels, and a nylon-lined partitioned interior.
$4,400, at dior.com

Ferragamo Embossed Gancini Trolley

Ferragamo Embossed Gancini Trolley

Celebrating the beauty of Italian leather, the house that Salvatore Ferragamo built has launched this embossed carry-on trolley to highlight the brand’s iconic Gancini motif. Inspired by a gancio, a small type of metal hook, Ferragamo has been showcasing its Gancini, typically seen as the clasp of a handbag or a belt or shoe buckle, since the 1950s. On this 21.6-inch carry-on, the Gancini is richly embossed on a leather panel that fully fronts the case, which is accented with a contrasting ash-gray stripe on black. Exterior features include top and side handles and multidirectional wheels, while the interior offers a variety of zipped pockets and compartments.
$3,300, at ferragamo.com

Gucci Porter Cabin Plus Trolley

Gucci Porter Cabin Plus Trolley

The latest Gucci carry-on represents a partnership between two Italian labels: the house created by Guccio Gucci in 1921 and Fabbrica Pelletterie Milano, a firm founded by Enrico Fremder in 1946. They’ve joined forces for a coveted piece in the Gucci Lido collection, a 21.6-inch aluminum carry-on that takes its cue from FPM’s Bank designs, embellished with Gucci signatures. The GG Supreme motif is employed for the top and side handles and luggage tag, while Gucci’s iconic red and green stripe has been put on steroids to create a strap. The interior features dividers also in the GG Supreme motif.
$3,800, at gucci.com

Berluti Formula 1005 Scritto Leather Rolling Suitcase

Berluti Formula 1005 Scritto Leather Rolling Suitcase

Ever since the house was founded in 1895 by Alessandro Berluti, the French brand with the Italian name has been celebrated for the beauty of its leather goods. Berluti’s Formula 1005 Scritto Leather Rolling Case is sure to be a forever piece, especially in the color seen here, Cacao Intenso. In 2014, Olga Berluti—Alessandro’s great-granddaughter and creative director of the brand’s Art line since 2011—purchased an 18th-century French letter at an auction and used the elegant words to design an embossed motif on Venezia leather, creating pieces collectively known as Scritto (Italian for “writing”). This rolling case stands 20 inches tall, while its embossed leather is offset with aluminum corners, telescoping handle and multidirectional wheels. Interior features include a nylon lining with zipped pocket and compartment and elastic straps.
$8,600, at berluti.com