Millionaires, they're just like us.
18.09.2024 - 16:13 / insider.com / Louis Vuitton / Martha Stewart / Billie Eilish / Bernard Arnault
HBO's hit TV series "Entourage" has had a big influence on John Baptist's life.
The show ended in 2011. But it's one of the reasons he, 36, moved to Los Angeles — and why he's dropped about $5,800 to buy three Rimowa suitcases.
If you don't recognize the brand's name, you might know its iconic grooved aluminum luggage.
The cheapest model goes for $1,430, while the largest rings in at $2,450. There are also more niche variations, like a 12-wine bottle suitcase, which costs $9,900, and a new $2,125 cross-body bag.
Despite —or maybe because of — its price, Rimowa's shiny four-wheeled bags are now a common sight in the overhead bins of business-class cabins and airport lounges.
But when "Entourage" was still on the air, the show's characters and celebrities were the only people Baptist saw toting the industrial-chic bags. (These days, icons like Martha Stewart, Rodger Federer, and Billie Eilish are fans too.)
It's what lured him — a lifestyle content creator and real estate flipper — to the brand and why he eventually "splurged" to buy his first Rimowa, the $2,175 aluminum trunk, about 1 ½ years ago, he told BI.
He's since purchased a second trunk for his girlfriend and a $1,430 carry-on luggage for himself.
"This is a status symbol for me," Baptist said. "It's the same thing as my Goyard wallet. I achieved purchasing it, and it's a necessity for me now."
Rimowa may not be as talked about as LVMH's 74 other iconic brands like Fendi, Louis Vuitton, or Tiffany and Co., but it certainly holds its ground in Bernard Arnault's world of luxury.
LVMH's revenue dipped just over 1% in the first half of 2024 amid a slowdown in demand for luxury goods in China. But Rimowa continued "excellent momentum," LVMH said.
A spokesperson told Business Insider that the luggage maker is now one of its parent company's fastest-growing brands. It has expanded its presence from Europe and Asia into North America, with the US now one of its top markets.
Rimowa gave rise to two of the largest hard-shelled luggage trends when it debuted its aluminum luggage in the 1920s and its polycarbonate options eighty years later.
Since then, myriad competitors like Away, Samsonite, and Tumi have unveiled similar styles — most for a fraction of Rimowa's price.
With other options on the market, you might wonder why it's worth splurging on a suitcase that costs double that of a flight to Europe. After all, Rimowa's iconic bags were absent from Good Housekeeping, Travel and Leisure, and Wirecutter's 2024 best luggage lists.
To understand why they've become a cult classic, its biggest fans say you have to try one of these bags for yourself. And it's fine if they break — Rimowa offers a lifetime warranty.
Tania Antonenkova, a Miami-based luxury
Millionaires, they're just like us.
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