LFW: Globe-Trotter unveils collection inspired by 1960s suitcase

When we think of British heritage brands, the first name to pop up isn't usually one of suitcases and travel accessories, even if said brand is a homegrown British company since the 1930s. We are talking, of course, about Globe-Trotter, founded in Saxony in 1897 by David Nelken, it moved from Germany to the UK in 1932, and has been a staple for British handcrafted goods ever since.

Based in Hertfordshire, England, Globe-Trotter's durable travel cases and leather goods are made by skilled artisans using original manufacturing methods and machinery that date back to the Victorian era. For 120 years the brand philosophy has remained unchanged. Like Burberry, Aquascutum and Savile Row, Globe-Trotter is a famous British exporter of its wares, and sold the world over.

Best known for its luggage constructed from vulcanised fibreboard - a material that consists of multiple layers of bonded paper that apparently provides better water resistance and abrasion resistance than leather - Globe-Trotter has since grown into a bonafide lifestyle brand, introducing other categories including handbags, attaché cases, small leather goods such as wallets, passport and card holders, even blankets and stationary.

The brand presented its spring summer 2017 collection at Claridges during London Fashion Week on Friday, finding inspiration from an old trunk that recently found its way into the Globe-Trotter archive. Thought to date back to the sixties and belonging to a former BOAC air hostess, the case featured over 50 travel stickers from all around the globe, from Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires to Singapore and Tokyo, from Rome and Beirut to Honolulu, all acquired between 1960 - 69.

A stickered-trunk from the 60s inspired new collection

Globe-Trotter’s designer, Charlotte Seddon, used angular shapes from the midcentury graphics on the stickers and reinterpreted them as contemporary bags and accessories in tones of Desert Rose, Marine, Clay Grey and Peony. The stickers also appear as suitcase and bag linings and as leather patches hand-appliquéd onto passport sleeves and folios. Each piece is meant to evoke the excitement and glamour of travelling the world and discovering exotic, far-flung places during what was the golden age of air travel. Perhaps that is why they chose the hashtag #YourAdventureBegins.

The new Globe-Trotter collection of luggage, bags and accessories are all made in the UK and will be available in-store and online from February 2017.

Photo credit:Globe-Trotter SS17 collection, source: Globe-Trotter Facebook