How Patricia Gucci Is Making Carry-On Luggage Chic Again
When Robb Report covered the launch of luxuryLuxuryA lifestyle defined by exceptional quality, craftsmanship, exclusivity, and sophistication, encompassing the finest products, services, and experiences that represent the highest standards of refinement and excellence.Go to Luxury Glossary luggage brand Aviteur in 2019, founder Patricia Gucci (yes, that Gucci) had devised a single product: a spinner-wheeled carry-on (this is not the type of suitcase you’d want to check) clad in leather and featuring a distinctive cannage pattern on the front panel, silent wheels (at the time, the mayor of Venice was proposing a ban on rolling luggage due to the noise caused when they hit the city’s cobblestones), and a sleek Lucite handle. “Today, we have over 100 products, including weekenders, handbags, phone pouches, and travel accessories,” Gucci tells Robb Report.
This week, Gucci is debuting a conveniently packaged travel capsule, which launched yesterday exclusively at Harrods in London and Just One Eye in Los Angeles. (She is careful to only partner with retailers who have close relationships with their customers and prioritize brand storytelling.) At the center of the collection is the new Carry-On 25, accompanied by a weekender, duffle, and laptop case in two timeless colors: walnut and black. Customers can purchase à la carte (£2,950, or about $3,900 for the Carry-on 25) or spring for the full set at £8,975, or about $11,900.
“The Travel Capsule Collection is more than luggage—it’s a passport to an elevated travel experience,” says Gucci, who also serves as the creative director of the brand. “We’ve reimagined our original carry-on to meet the needs of today’s discerning traveler while preserving the heritage and elegance that define our brand.”
Those discerning travelers include captains of industry, royalty, musicians, actors, and supermodels. “People from all walks of life, from Denver to Dubai and Singapore to Switzerland. Our products appeal to men and women of all ages,” says Gucci, whose granddaughter carries the Mini Maia (named after her). The founder also recounts the story of an octogenarian who recently travelled from England to Aviteur’s Milan showroom to purchase a Cristallino. “Our clientele tends to be professional, philanthropic, and with a limited presence on social media. They don’t like logos, and they don’t follow trends, but above all they appreciate quality and refined design,” she adds.
Gucci didn’t set out to follow in her family into the leather-goods business. But after the Gucci brand was sold in 1989 and Patricia’s father, Aldo, died, she moved to California to get away from it all and to have some anonymity. “The spark for the carry-on came to me out of the blue one day in 2017,” she says. “I had this vision for a modern interpretation of ratan suitcases from the 1960s—the Golden Age of travel—with cutting-edge materials like aviation-grade aluminum and Lucite, a transparent, buttonless handle, and silent wheels. In a world of homogenous luggage, the idea was to bring some beauty back to travel without being fashion-forward.”
Another vintageVintageVintage refers to the specific year a wine's grapes were harvested, with exceptional vintages reflecting particularly favorable growing season conditions within a given region and year. Serious collectors track vintageGo to Vintage Glossary throwback, in this era of questionable “luxury” goods: All Aviteur products are 100 percent made in Italy, with materials and components sustainably sourced within a 200-mile radius of the Milan showroom. This ensures the ultimate in quality control and a low carbon footprint. “We work exclusively with certified tanneries and family-owned factories, promoting ethical standards and culture conducive for the next generation to continue in the tradition of Italian craftsmanship excellence,” adds Gucci.
Oh, about that name. Stemming from avis, the Latin word for “bird” to evoke flying, the first three letters of Aviteur are the initials of Gucci’s daughters in descending order: Alexandra, Victoria, and Isabella. Speaking of la famiglia, Gucci would like to have a final word: “For those who saw the movie, my father is nothing like Al Pacino.”
This article originally appeared in Robb Report US.