As I continue to read the endless Twitter details of all my friends’ summer vacations (and then see the inescapable pictures on Facebook afterward), I can’t help but turn my attentions to travel. I still make due with the same black Samsonsite suitcase that accompanied me on my first jaunts to New York City, Boston and Chicago as a teenager, but surely there are more interesting (and expensive) options out there for a traveler who wants the best suitcase on the luggage carousel.
With that curiosity in mind, we’ve picked some options for your perusal from Louis Vuitton to Bottega Veneta, spanning a price range from $500 to $50,000 (yes, that’s the correct number of zeros) for a suitcase. Let us know which one you like best and what your current luggage of choice in the comments.
The Louis Vuitton Pégase 55 is probably one of the more well-known luxury suitcases on today’s market, and Vuitton is one of the first brands that customers think of when designer luggage is mentioned. Many people opt for the less expensive monogram canvas, but that has always struck me as a sure way to get your luggage snatched at the airport. The more discreet Epi leather version would be my personal choice. Buy through Vuitton.com for $3230.
Whether you love or hate Prada nylon, you have to admit that the material is a fairly sensible travel choice. The Prada Nylon Wheel-Away Trolley Case is probably too expensive when compared to most nylon (or leather) luggage, but if you want the logo and have the extra cash, Prada is more than willing to provide it. Buy through Neiman Marcus for $2035.
The Tumi Medium Trip Packing Case maybe not be a “designer” suitcase in the same way that the others on this list are, but I think that the brand and this type of luggage are worthy of a mention. On my first-ever plane ride when I was a kid, I remember seeing a guy with a briefcase made out of this material and thinking that it was the coolest and most awesome thing I had every seen. The material makes the suitcase look like it contains nuclear secrets, even if the only thing inside is your sweatpants. Buy through Saks for $495.
For a logo-covered suitcase, the Gucci GG Coated Fabric Trolley is probably as discreet as it gets. Still, I imagine that the same thing would happen to this case as certainly befalls loads of Louis Vuitton luggage every year: mysterious disappearance during baggage handling. Buy through Saks for $2350.
If you’ve ever needed something to justify the cost of a Vuitton leather suitcase, we’ve got just the thing: the Valextra Small Trolley Case. This suitcase, which is small enough to use as a carry-on, will set you back over seven grand. For that, you could have two of the Vuitton Epi suitcases at the top of this list, plus enough left over to buy a handbag. Buy through Barneys for $7450.
And now for something to make the Valextra suitcase seem reasonable: the Bottega Veneta Nero Soft Alligator Suitcase will set you back as much as a new BMW, but your manservant sure will look sharp while carrying it to your private plane. Buy through Bottega Veneta for $53,500.
