With more than 70 stores worldwide and U.S. outpost inside New York’s Plaza Hotel, MCM has expanded to include not just hard-sided trunks and luxury travel goods but a full line of handbags, select apparel and handful of footwear options, including a showstopper men’s high-top sneaker designed by Michael Michalsky. Look for additional seasonal standouts such as a chunky monogram backpack (updated with black leather trim and stud embellishment) or men’s Jet Setter Weekender Bag (with generous sizing and monogrammed leather available in charcoal gray or brown) — it’ll put buyers a step ahead of the usual fashion names for 2012.
For those preferring more steadfast fashion labels, Louis Vuitton has no shortage of luxury bag options for the season, from its collection of hard-sided, rolling and soft-sided travel bags. Their collection of hard-sided luggage offers a timeless travel statement that, while perhaps the prettiest bag you’ll find on the market, is also one of the priciest: It costs from $4,200 to $7,950. Their soft-sided bags, such as the Pegase 60 ($3,900), offer two color choices for monogrammed canvas, a two-position handle and an easy-to-attach protective sleeve that keeps the bag clean while in commercial airline transit.
And for those who scoff at any luggage piece that can be bought at your local high-end mall, there’s Dutch-made Henk, available at Harrod‘s enviable Luggage Shop in London. Their bespoke bags include the Attache Case and made-to-order Travelfriend. They come with a choice of calfskin leathers imprinted in crocodile or ostrich motif and interiors ranging from zebra-print leather to Prussian horsehair and a high-tech fiber that can be polished off with a sterling silver accessory button (for an extra $1,543). With a price tag on par with a subcompact car (from $38,618, depending on your options), the luggage lives up to its promise to be “the ultimate carrying experience.”
Category : Fashion labels