The winter holidays are nearly here, but this year, they’re probably going to look a bit different than years’ past. With the pandemic still raging, some of us will not be traveling at all, while others might decide to take road trips closer to home. Away, the luggage startup, is closely observing these trends. The company’s design team has created a collection of new products perfectly designed for our travel needs today but also versatile enough to be used in the future, if and when travel returns to normal.
Away is best known for its first product, a hardshell suitcase with distinctive ridges, designed for carrying on board. But there’s been a steep decline in air travel, the company’s design team has been designing a range of soft luggage that are perfect for car trips. The hero of the collection is a duffle called the Everywhere Bag. It comes in three sizes and two materials, water-resistant leather or nylon. “While the hardshell is connected to planes, people tend to think of duffle bags when they’re planning road trips,” says Cuan Hanly, SVP of product design and merchandise. “Soft bags collapse when they’re empty and they’re easier to squeeze into tight spaces.”
Hanly and the design team have been working to iterate on the design of theEverywhere Bag, based on focus groups and customer feedback. The most innovative design tweak is that the bags open all the way around, like aclamshell suitcase, with two compartments on the side. This makes it much easier to pack and access items than in a traditional duffle bag, which generally opens that the top, meaning you have to dig to find items at the bottom. Thelargeand medium bags come with a dedicated padded laptop compartment, so you don’t need to carry a separate bag for your computer. These bags are thoughtfully designed to fit into your post pandemic life. They’re equipped with sleeves that slide onto the handle of a suitcase, so you can bring them on the plane as your “personal item.” And the medium bag, in particular, could easily work as a gym bag or an office bag.If you’re looking for small gifts and stocking stuffers, Away has got you covered. The brand has released a selection of leather goods in bright, cheery colors just in time for the holidays, including jewelry boxes, wallets, and passport holders. They’re designed to be useful right now, while tapping into your wanderlust. “We believe that travel will, eventually come back,” Hanly says. “And we’ll be here for travelers when the time comes.”
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