The next time you're in midtown, check out Hides In Shape, on Madison at 55th Street: http://hidesinshape.com

That's where I took my Rimowa when it needed repair. They have a huge selection.

Just used me near Rimowa yesterday for the first tie on a quick trip to the uk. I just love it.

By far the best luggage I have ever owned. Simply beautifully made, so smooth to use and functional. For me 10/10

I virtually never see much of it. Flew JFK to LHR last night. Saw one in the first class lounge. Much more Tumi, which I'm not a fan of but it seems popular. For rolling bags I'm 100% B&R because of the warranty and very long life.

I never see them around here on domestic trips, but I have sometimes to/from Europe. But I was in SF last week on business and a few blocks from the JW Union Square was a Rimowa store. First one I've been in, and they had a very nice selection. The Limbo attaches are very nicely done. It was also useful to look at the Salsa DLX cabin multiwheel to compare the size. I've seen one go in an overhead but I don't know if it would fit in the templates.

Leaving SFO I saw a young woman with a Salsa DLX trolley but in Seal Gray -vs- Black that I have. That's a nice shade. On my next leg I was on the SkyTrain at DFW and a couple of AA FA's were having some fun at my expense because the finish is so glossy. At the other end of the car was a guy with a Topas watching the show - so last week I saw other Rimowas for the first time on domestic trips

I like the Salsa DLX because it holds as much as my aging Tumi Alpha Suiter and has a much lower profile.

I love the Rimowa colours (except the brown and red in the Salsa Deluxe range - they remind me of my parents' kitchen in the 70s!). I just pulled the trigger on a Limbo 56 cabin Multiwheel in midnight blue. Can't wait to see this colour in person! My husband has the Limbo IATA multiwheel in seal grey and I agree with you - it's gorgeous.

I've bought the 56 to use as checked luggage. It clearly exceeds the maximum dimensions allowed by most airlines as carry on. I wonder why it is even described as a "cabin" trolley. It seems misleading for inexperienced travellers (and inexperienced luggage salespeople).

Funny enough, skimming through NY Daily News today and lo behold, picture of Michael Douglas lugging a large red Salsa.

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertain...icle-1.1448187

Miss M. Jovovich has a raft of the cases from Rimowa. Google the photo.

Interesting comments here about the cases having a lower profile. I'll start a survey in another thread.

Nit-pickng now, but I think that's a Salsa Deluxe, not a Salsa.

Huh. Weird. In twenty years in & out of Japan and seven years living there, I can't recall seeing Rimowa more than a handful of times. LV, however.... :p

Personally, seeing as I don't tend to check luggage and carry on simply doesn't take the battering that checked luggage can/will, I don't see the value: I spend ~$50 for something like a Lucas 21 inch carry on and it lasts 5-10 years easily enough. The cost/value ratio simply isn't there for spending large amounts of money. $400+ for something that will last 20-30 years is still a bad deal IMO. Obviously, YMMV & it's your money so have at it. :)

I am with you all the way here, even though I just received my first Rimowa alu classic hand luggage case by post this week retailing at about £450 (€530).

However, as I had many thousands of points in the Star Alliance Company Plus scheme that would expire in three weeks and I had no need to redeem for flights and no other useful way to dispose of them, I am treating it like a free gift from Lufthansa for sitting in their seats over the years! :D

Thing is you could apply that argument to everything you buy. People's values differ, and not just across cultures. Just because you see it as a frivolous way of spending money, doesn't mean it is to others.

Anyway, back to Michael Douglas, he needs a hubcap replaced on one of his wheels. On the subject of Hollywood stars I see Jessica Alba has quite a lot of Rimowa luggages too, but I think she's a brand ambassador anyway? so probably gets them as freebies. There's also Diane Kruger, Bradley Cooper, William Dafoe etc. It wouldn't surprise me if Rimowa are handing them out to celebrities to up their brand image and exposure, as I guess not many care about the German football team using them when travelling to Euro/World tournaments :p

Weird..when I lived in Japan and when I go back, I see loads..

That would be why I said YMMV and for those that wanted to have at it. And I didn't say it was frivolous, just that I don't see the cost benefit.

You mean Your Japan is different from My Japan?! Who wouldn't thunk it?! :)

Japan:

Time changes, and people change, but the Japanese have always looked at something of good value as a wise investment. They are very shrewd with spending yen, and that includes luggage purchases.

10 years ago I flew into Tokyo from FRA for a graduate reunion at Waseda University. Aside from mine, only another Swiss on business carried a Rimowa case onboard. No others were observed.

Yet starting with customs and immigration, the interest was clearly there. I was frequently asked where it was made, complimented on the excellent finish detail, and more than a few stated " I will own one like that someday."

This summer I returned again on LH. Half the flight being German could be expected to be carrying Rimowa luggage, and true to form, was. But about 25 % of the Japanese nationals were too, with a 50 % mix between the polycarbonate, and alu models.

I noted that the German nationals ( especially the flight crew waiting outside for the crew bus ) had Rimowa alu checked luggage like mine, with years of travel dents. The Japanese nationals primarily were rolling 4-wheel hand carry cases. Immaculate at that, so I assume many were recent purchases purchased while departing Germany.

As a few travelers rolled BRG green, red, and chocolate polycarbonate cases, they had obviously visited an LH Worldshop store along the way. One man strolled out rolling a LH Rimowa 747- (dash) 8 alu case with leather trim, looking exceptionally sharp.

The darker Rimowa colours ( Marine, black, Dark grey ) seemed to be the most popular in the Rimowa Salsa line seen that day.