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Luggage has a tendency to linger in the backs of cupboards long past its sell-by date, brought out to air a few times a year and rarely replaced until it’s visibly falling apart. And I, more than anyone, am guilty of this. I’ve held onto suitcases with missing wheels and a broken telescopic handle that threatened to blind anyone who tried to use it because ‘it will come in handy when I move house.’ Spoiler alert: it did not.
Easter might fall late this year, but there are two bank holidays and a half-term (and then the summer holidays) all hot on its heels. It means ample opportunity to get away for a couple of days or a long weekend, at home or abroad — so consider this your much-needed PSA to buy a new bag, or two, that’s fit for public viewing.
Last week, RIMOWA released a limited edition ‘Holiday’ collection of briefcase-looking cabin cases in three high gloss primary colours. The design was inspired by one of the brand's bags from 1988 — and one that was among the first to stray from conservative blacks, browns and dark blues. Now, we're not suggesting you purchase a whole new suite of luggage in clashing tones and turn the airport carousel into a Dulux paint chart, but a smaller pop of colour, here and there, will never go amiss. With that in mind, here’s a round-up of some of the bolder holdall and cabin bags on the market right now to help usher in the warmer months and your sunny sojourns.
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'Fences have blocked wildlife corridors, causing the wildebeest migration to collapse from 140,000 individuals to fewer than 15,000': Is the opening of the Ritz-Carlton in Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve a cause for celebration or concern?In Kenya's iconic Masai Mara region tourism is an important and necessary part of the economy, but the arrival os several large hotel groups — including Ritz-Carlton — have some on edge.
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‘I get all twitchy when I see people wearing something that really doesn’t belong’: A watch for every summer occasionThere’s a watch for every social summer occasion, from the Mediterranean to muddy festivals. Chris Hall selects some of his favourites.
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‘I get all twitchy when I see people wearing something that really doesn’t belong’: A watch for every summer occasion
There’s a watch for every social summer occasion, from the Mediterranean to muddy festivals. Chris Hall selects some of his favourites.
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Listen up puffins, peregrines and seal pups — Big Brother is watching youThe Wildlife Trusts have installed more than 25 video cameras around the country that live stream activity from barn owl nests to popular puffin sites.
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'Comfortable, cosseting and far from the madding crowd': The recently refurbished Cornish cottage that proves Victorian decor is making a comebackPlum Cottage in Padstow, Cornwall, has been brought to life by Jess Alken and her husband, Ash — and is the latest addition to their holiday cottages on the north Cornish coast.
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Coco's crush: Chanel's century-long love affair with Britain and its menFor the past 100 years, Chanel — the person and the brand — has left an indelible mark on the UK and its cultural institutions. Amie Elizabeth White takes a look at how the relationship came to be.
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Critics be damned, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral gets Grade I status on advice from Historic EnglandLooking a bit like a large piece of moon-landing equipment on which you’d best not sit, with indoor lighting that wouldn’t look out of place in a nightclub, the building has ever divided opinions.
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Whatever floats your moat: Tower of London's former waterway receives help to adapt to the pressures of climate changeIt is one of five gardens across the globe that have been selected by the fund for aid in adapting to the growing pressures of climate change.
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From the Country Life archive: The questionable vacuum caps that promised a 'healthy, vigorous growth of hair'Every Monday, Melanie Bryan, delves into the hidden depths of Country Life's extraordinary archive to bring you a long-forgotten story, photograph or advert.
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Canine muses: The English bull terrier who helped transform her owner from 'a photographer into an artist'In the first edition of our new, limited series, we meet the dogs who've inspired some of our greatest artists.
