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interface news reporter | zhu yongling

interface news editor | xu yue

luxury luggage brand rimowa is focusing on marketing its recently launched original bag series of crossbody/clutch bags.

on september 13, the brand opened a limited-time space in shenzhen mixc and invited celebrities such as fan zhendong to support it.

the original bag series that rimowa attaches so much importance to is basically a smaller version of the brand's original series of travel suitcases, which is rimowa's iconic aluminum alloy box. therefore, although the original bag series is not the first bag product launched by rimowa, it is more brand-recognizable than most previous bag series.

ceo, rimowaHugues Bonnet-Masimbertin an interview with fashion network, she said that although the brand's previous handbags and backpacks have met certain needs, "original bag marks a major evolution for us, opening up a new category."

rimowa, which has a history of over 100 years, wants to become more fashionable, younger and more expensive - this is the obvious transformation direction of the brand after it was acquired by lvmh group in 2016.

after the acquisition, the lvmh groupArnaultthe family sent a second generation memberalexandre arnault serves as the brand's ceo. under alexandre's leadership, rimowa not only continues the celebrity marketing that it had mastered before the acquisition, but also takes more measures to gradually innovate its brand image, including co-branding with various trendy brands, luxury goods, artists, etc., replacing the new brand logo, developing non-travel luggage categories, and holding various exhibitions at the anniversary nodes of the brand and classic products to emphasize the brand's history and cultural heritage. during this period, rimowa also took back the global agency channels and operated them by itself.

hugues, the brand's current ceo, will take over in 2021later, he continued alexandre's route.hugues said its mission is to continue to achievealexandre's vision is to build on the brand's heritage and lead it into the future with innovation.

innovation at the product level is reflected in the fact that rimowa has begun to increase its investment in other categories besides suitcases in recent years, including mobile phone cases launched in 2019 and a variety of bag types launched in 2020.never still series, a smaller versioncrossbody bag personal series, nylon travel bag in 2023signature series, etc. in addition, rimowa also sells more niche specialty products such as watch boxes, violin boxes, red wine suitcases, chess boxes, etc.

the impact of the epidemic on travel scenarios is one of the factors that prompted rimowa to explore non-suitcase categories.

in an interview with vogue singapore in 2020, alexandre stated that rimowa is turning to the concept of personal "mobility", paying more attention to the multiple touch points between products and users in this scenario - not only long and short distance travel, but also urban transportation and daily commuting.in the rimowa tmall flagship store, the brand also stated that the launch of the never still series suitable for daily use in 2020 marks the brand's evolution into a "fashionable mobile equipment brand."

in other words, rimowa, which is famous for its suitcases, is no longer satisfied with being just a suitcase brand. this change is not difficult to understand. compared with suitcases, bags, which are also highly related to "mobile travel", have more room to play, making it easier for the brand to display its fashion proposition; they are also more frequently used and in higher demand, which can bring real contributions to performance.

it is worth mentioning that although rimowa's bags seem to be cheaper than suitcases, their prices are not cheaper. take the original bag as an example. the new product is priced at 16,800 yuan, which is comparable to the price of the original series 31-inch suitcase.

in fact, whether it is bags or suitcases, rimowa is now focusing less and less on functionality, but instead uses various marketing initiatives to strengthen its brand value. this is also the luxury brand operation logic that lvmh group is very familiar with, which can help rimowa sell at a higher premium.according to reports, rimowa's current annual turnover is approximately 750 million euros (approximately 5.9 billion yuan).