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Rimowa

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Rimowa
TypeGmbH
IndustryTravel
Founded1898; 128 years ago (1898)
FounderPaul Morszeck
HeadquartersRichard-Byrd-Str. 13, 50829,
Cologne
,
Germany[1]
Area served
Worldwide
Key peopleBeatrice Monguidi, CEO
Products
Owner
Number of employees
3,000[1]
Websiterimowa.com

Rimowa GmbH (German pronunciation: [ʁɪˈmoːva]), often stylized as RIMOWA, is a German luxury luggage manufacturer founded in 1898 in Cologne, Germany.

Rimowa suitcases are known for their parallel aluminium grooves, which have become characteristic of the brand.[2] The company's headquarters are in Cologne.

In October 2016, LVMH agreed to purchase an 80% stake in Rimowa,[3] making Rimowa the group's first German company.[4] From 2017 to 2021, the company was managed by Alexandre Arnault.[5] Hugues Bonnet-Masimbert became CEO in 2021.[6] Beatrice Monguidi became CEO in June 2026.[7]

History

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Paul Morszeck Kofferfabrik, 1898

Rimowa traces its origins to 1898, when Paul Morszeck established a luggage-making business in Cologne. The company initially operated under the name Görtz & Morszeck with Heinrich Görtz before Morszeck became its sole director.[8]

During the 1920s, Paul Morszeck's son Richard became involved in the company. The company increasingly experimented with aluminium, a material whose use was growing in aircraft construction.[8] In 1931, Richard Morszeck registered the Rimowa trademark at the Reich Patent Office in Berlin. The name "Rimowa" was derived from Richard Morszeck Warenzeichen, with Warenzeichen meaning "trademark".[8]

During the 1930s, a fire at the company's factory destroyed much of its stock and materials while leaving its aluminium inventory intact.[9] Aluminium subsequently became an important material in the company's luggage production.

In 1950, Rimowa introduced parallel grooves to the aluminium shells of its suitcases. The design was influenced by the appearance of early all-metal aircraft and became one of the company's identifying visual features.[8][10]

During the 1970s, Dieter Morszeck, representing the third generation of the family, joined the company. In 1978, he developed a waterproof case intended for professional photography and filmmaking equipment.[8] Rimowa expanded into the Japanese market in 1979.[8]

In 2000, Rimowa began producing suitcases made from polycarbonate, providing a lighter alternative to its aluminium luggage.[8]

In October 2016, Rimowa joined the LVMH Group after LVMH acquired an 80% stake in the company for €640 million.[11] Rimowa became LVMH's first German company, and Alexandre Arnault subsequently became CEO.[12]

In 2018, Rimowa introduced a new visual identity created with the London design studio Commission.[13]

Hugues Bonnet-Masimbert became chief executive in January 2021,[6] coinciding with the introduction of the Never Still range of backpacks and travel bags.[14]

In 2022, Rimowa introduced a lifetime guarantee for new suitcases covering functional damage.[8] Beatrice Monguidi succeeded Bonnet-Masimbert as chief executive in June 2026.[15]

Rimowa manufactures products at facilities in Germany, the Czech Republic and Canada.[1]

Rimowa identity evolution: 1898–present

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Aeroplane

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Rimowa was involved in a project to construct an airworthy replica of the Junkers F 13, an early all-metal passenger aircraft. The project was initiated by then-Rimowa president and CEO Dieter Morszeck and involved several aviation organizations and engineering companies.[16]

The replica, named Annelise 2, made its official maiden flight from Dübendorf Air Base in Switzerland on 15 September 2016.[16] The project involved seven years of research, planning and regulatory work, while construction of the aircraft took approximately 12,000 working hours over 24 months.[16] Original plans and a laser scan of a surviving aircraft at the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace near Paris were used during the design process.[16]

Product lines

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Rimowa produces luggage using materials including aluminium, polycarbonate and leather. Historically, the company marketed products under names including Topas, Limbo, Salsa, Pilot, Silver Classic, Classic Flight, Columbus and Attaché.

Its current principal luggage collections include:[17]

  • Original – aluminium luggage featuring the company's characteristic grooved shell.
  • Classic – aluminium luggage with leather handles and detailing.
  • Essential – polycarbonate luggage.
  • Essential Lite – a lightweight polycarbonate range.
  • Essential Sleeve – polycarbonate luggage incorporating an exterior compartment.
  • Hybrid – luggage combining polycarbonate shells with aluminium components.
  • Distinct – leather luggage.

Rimowa also markets bags and travel accessories under collections including Never Still and Groove.[18]

Collaborations

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Rimowa has established several partnerships with German brands, including Lufthansa since 1998[19] and Porsche since 1999.[20] As part of the Porsche partnership, Rimowa has produced special editions of its suitcases with specific colours or designs.

Since 2017, Rimowa has increasingly pursued collaborations and long-term partnerships.[21] Collaborators have included:

Rimowa x Supreme Cabin Red 45L, 2018

Supreme

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In 2018, New York skateboarding brand Supreme and Rimowa collaborated on custom versions of the Original suitcase featuring the Supreme logo. The limited-edition suitcases were produced in red and black.[32]

In 2019, a second collection featured a spider-web design anodized into the aluminium surface of Rimowa Original cases. Available in Cabin Plus and Check-In L sizes, the collaboration included a co-branded leather luggage tag, custom lining and a matching shoe bag.[33]

Off-White

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In 2018, Rimowa collaborated with streetwear label Off-White and its founder Virgil Abloh. The capsule collection included a transparent polycarbonate suitcase based on the Essential collection, called "See Through", and a black Original case bearing Off-White branding.[34]

Dior

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In 2019, Rimowa partnered with luxury fashion house Dior and menswear artistic director Kim Jones to develop a capsule collection of luggage. The collection included versions of the Rimowa Original Cabin and Original Trunk featuring Dior's Oblique design, as well as a Hand Case based on Rimowa's 1990s "Piccolo" case and a smaller cross-body design called the Rimowa Personal.[35] The collection debuted during Dior's Men's Summer 2020 fashion show in Paris.[36]

Daniel Arsham

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In 2019, contemporary artist Daniel Arsham and Rimowa collaborated on a limited-edition art project inspired by the company's archives. Arsham created a numbered "eroded suitcase" series based on a vintage Rimowa Attaché briefcase.[37]

In May 2019, number 008/500 of the edition sold for US$14,000 at Sotheby's in New York.[38] Arsham and Rimowa collaborated again in 2022 on limited-edition Pilot cases containing sculptural "eroded" turntables.[39]

Ambassadors

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For its "Never Still" global brand campaign, Rimowa has featured a number of public figures as brand ambassadors.

People appearing in Rimowa campaigns have included:

Awards

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Year Country Award Category Ranking Product
2010 USA Travel + Leisure[53] Best Luggage 1st place Salsa Deluxe
2014 Germany Red Dot Award[54] Online (Homepage) 1st place Rimowa
2015 Germany Welt (Munich Strategy Group)[55] Top 100 Small- and medium-sized companies 1st place Rimowa
2015 Global Future Travel Experience[56] Best Baggage Initiative 1st place Rimowa & Lufthansa for Rimowa Electronic Tag
2016 Germany Innovations-Champions 2016 Munich Strategy Group 1st place Rimowa
2016 Germany Digital Pioneer 2016[57] Digital Pioneer 1st place Rimowa Electronic Tag
2017 Germany Art Directors Club[58] Digitale Medien Craft > Innovative Technologie 1st place Rimowa Electronic Tag
2017 USA Surface Travel Awards[59] Luggage high-end 1st place Rimowa Electronic Tag
2017 Germany Art Directors Club[58] Digitale Medien > Usage innovant des réseaux sociaux 2nd place Rimowa Electronic Tag
2017 France Cannes Lions[60] Mobile A Technology A07 Connected Devices 2nd place Rimowa Electronic Tag
2017 USA CLIO Awards[61] Digital / Mobile Other 2nd place Rimowa Electronic Tag
2017 Germany Deutscher Digital Award[62] 9.2 Transformation Digitale - Innovation 2nd place Rimowa Electronic Tag
2017 UK London International Awards The New Product Innovation Shortlist Rimowa Electronic Tag
2019 USA Fast Company Awards[63] 50 Most Innovative Companies Shortlist Rimowa Product Range
2019 USA Fast Company Awards[64] The 9 most timeless designs of the past 25 years Shortlist Rimowa Original Cabin silver suitcase
2019 USA Surface Magazine[65] The Best New Luggage of The Year 1st place Rimowa x Alex Israel suitcase

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 "Rimowa". LVMH. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  2. ↑ "How Rimowa Got its Groove". Surface. 21 September 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  3. ↑ "LVMH to Take 80% Stake in German Luggage Brand Rimowa". The New York Times. 4 October 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  4. ↑ "LVMH buys 80 percent of German luggage group Rimowa". Reuters. 4 October 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  5. ↑ "Another Arnault Takes Charge". The New York Times. 6 March 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Hugues Bonnet-Masimbert named CEO of Rimowa". FashionNetwork.com. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  7. ↑ Socha, Miles (15 April 2026). "EXCLUSIVE: Rimowa Names New CEO". WWD. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Our Story – A Legacy Forged by Visionary Pioneers". Rimowa. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  9. ↑ "Rimowa Displays the Lasting Power of Its Iconic Aluminum Suitcases". Forbes. 10 October 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  10. ↑ "How Rimowa Got its Groove". Surface. 21 September 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  11. ↑ "Another Arnault takes charge". The New York Times. 6 March 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  12. ↑ "How Alexandre Arnault Is Making a 120-Year-Old Luggage Brand Relevant Again". Fashionista. 14 December 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  13. ↑ "Rimowa celebrates its 120th anniversary with a new visual identity". Wallpaper. 18 January 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  14. ↑ Mercer, Emily (21 January 2021). "Market Moments: Rimowa Launches 'Never Still' Lifestyle Bags". WWD. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  15. ↑ Socha, Miles (15 April 2026). "EXCLUSIVE: Rimowa Names New CEO". WWD. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Boric, Marino (22 September 2016). "Official Maiden Flight of Rimowa Replica Junkers F13". Experimental Aircraft Association. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  17. ↑ "High-End Luggage". Rimowa. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  18. ↑ "Latest Products". Rimowa. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  19. ↑ "Lufthansa launches Rimowa Electronic Tag at FTE Global 2015". Future Travel Experience. 25 September 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  20. ↑ "Porsche Design x Rimowa "RS 2.7" PTS Lightweight Collection". Hypebeast. 3 August 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  21. ↑ "Case study: Why Rimowa rules the luggage carousel". Financial Times. 30 January 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  22. ↑ Marchese, Keiron (16 July 2018). "Rimowa taps Fendi for second luxe aluminum cabin trolley collaboration". DesignBoom. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  23. ↑ Phelps, Nicole (3 February 2020). "Moncler Genius Adds Jonathan Anderson and Rimowa to Its Group of Collaborators". Vogue. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  24. ↑ "Collab of the day: Supreme x Rimowa". 9 April 2018. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  25. ↑ "Exclusive: Rimowa and Off-White Are Releasing a New Luggage Collection". GQ. 5 October 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  26. ↑ Ozemebhoya, Esiwahomi (6 May 2019). "Daniel Arsham x Rimona Transform a Suitcase Into a Work of Art". Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  27. ↑ "The Anti Social Social Club x Rimowa Collab Now Has a Release Date". Highsnobiety. 29 December 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  28. ↑ "Rimowa teams up with L.A. artist Alex Israel on new suitcases". Los Angeles Times. 21 February 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  29. ↑ "Inside the ultimate luxury travel and beauty collaboration". Harper's Bazaar. 22 October 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  30. ↑ O'Keefe, Aimee (15 November 2022). "RIMOWA and adidas Just Dropped a Steezy $3,000 Travel Pack". Man of Many. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  31. ↑ "The Rimowa x Tiffany & Co. collection is about to drop — and we're excited". Lifestyle Asia. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  32. ↑ "The Supreme x Rimowa Drop Brought out London's Travel-Obsessed Fans". Hypebeast. 12 April 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  33. ↑ "Travel in Style With Rimowa x Supreme's New Check-In and Carry-On Suitcases". Hypebae. 11 November 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  34. ↑ "Exclusive: Rimowa and Off-White Are Releasing a New Luggage Collection". GQ. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  35. ↑ "Take a Closer Look at the Dior x Rimowa SS20 Luggage Capsule". Hypebeast. 25 November 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  36. ↑ "Dior Men and Rimowa Unveil a Monogram Collaboration on the Spring 2020 Runway". Vogue. 21 June 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  37. ↑ "Daniel Arsham brings a vintage Rimowa suitcase back to life". Designboom. 2 May 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  38. ↑ "Rimowa x Daniel Arsham: ED 008/500 (Special Edition)". Sotheby's. 13 May 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  39. ↑ Ajudua, Christine (30 September 2022). "Rimowa Taps Artist Daniel Arsham to Recreate Its Classic Pilot Case With a Mysterious Cargo Inside". Artnet News. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  40. ↑ "Style Edit: How travel brought LeBron James and Rimowa together". South China Morning Post. 24 June 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  41. 1 2 "Never Still". Rimowa. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  42. ↑ Tingley, Anna (16 September 2021). "Rihanna and Patti Smith Join Star-Studded Rimowa Campaign". Variety. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  43. ↑ Collings, Richard (16 September 2021). "Patti Smith Headlines Rimowa's Star-Studded Call to Travel". Adweek. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  44. ↑ "Kim Jones Shares His Never Ending Story". Vogue. 29 May 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  45. ↑ "What Globe-Trotting Piano Prodigy Yuja Wang Can't Travel Without". Robb Report. 24 July 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  46. ↑ "Federer Lands New Sponsor; Becomes Rimowa Brand Ambassador". Perfect Tennis. 8 September 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  47. ↑ "Virgil Abloh, Roger Federer can never be still in Rimowa luggage 120th anniversary campaign". The Drum. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  48. ↑ "How Travel Helped Adwoa Aboah Beat Her Demons". Elle. 10 September 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  49. ↑ "Yoon Ahn's Dreams Realization with Rimowa". Luxuvere. 10 September 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  50. ↑ "Nobu Matsuhisa's Inspirational Steps with Rimowa". Luxuvere. 10 September 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  51. ↑ "Jay Chou Endorses Rimowa: The Asian Superstar Reinforces the Power of Celebrity Economy". Flaunt. 6 April 2026. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  52. ↑ "ROSÉ unveils RIMOWA's Mint & Papaya collection". Rimowa. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  53. ↑ "Rimowa Wins Travel & Leisure Design Award". PR Newswire. 1 March 2010. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  54. ↑ "Red Dot Design Awards". Red Dot. 9 October 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  55. ↑ Dierig, Carsten (13 December 2015). "Das sind die wahren Stars der deutschen Wirtschaft". Die Welt. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  56. ↑ "5th FTE Awards recognise Delta, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Qantas, JetBlue, Schiphol Group, Melbourne Airport, Emirates, KLM, easyJet, Rimowa, DSG and IndiGo". Future Travel Experience. 1 September 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  57. ↑ "Rimowa Remporte Le Prix "Digital Pioneer 2016"". GoetzPartners. 1 December 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  58. 1 2 "Winners - Rimowa Electronic Tag". ADC Europe. 10 August 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  59. ↑ "Surface Travel Awards 2017". Surface. 10 August 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  60. ↑ "Rimowa Electronic Tag". We Love Ad. 10 February 2017. Archived from the original on 25 November 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  61. ↑ "Rimowa Electronic Tag". Clios. 10 February 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  62. ↑ "Gewinner 2017 - 9.2 Digitale Transformation – Innovation". Deutscher Digital Award. 10 February 2017. Archived from the original on 14 September 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  63. ↑ "Most Innovative Companies". Fast Company. 3 November 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  64. ↑ "The 9 most timeless designs of the past 25 years". Fast Company. 9 September 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  65. ↑ "Take a Look at The Best New Luggage of The Year". Surface. 3 October 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
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