In Renaissance Italy, the most expensive item in a wealthy person's home wasn't gold, but a blue painting. Made from crushed lapis lazuli, ultramarine is a deep, brilliant blue that painters reserved for the figures who mattered most, which is why it appears so consistently in paintings of monarchs across Europe. But why, you may ask, was the colour so rare and expensive? The answer lies in the name itself, which translates from medieval Latin as 'beyond the sea'. Lapis lazuli used to be mined from the mountains of Afghanistan, which were then transported across the sea to the West.
Centuries later, that deep, velvety blue has found its way onto RIMOWA suitcases. Of course, we no longer have to mine rocks for colour so ultramarine has lost its monetary value. But RIMOWA is reviving the shade as a homage to alchemy, restoring a sense of luxury to the colour through the aerospace-grade polycarbonate shell it's sprayed on.
Then there's umber. This colour wasn't derived from mountains that stretched into the skies, but rather, the earth itself. Originally concocted from soil rich in iron and manganese, its name is thought to come from the Latin ‘umbra’, meaning ‘shadow’. Some speculate that it was named as such because it was an essential foundation for every painter. It was used as the first layer of a painting; the warm underpainting that sits beneath everything else. You never see it, but without it, the entire painting collapses.
RIMOWA is borrowing Umber to contrast with the rich decadence of Ultramarine in its latest duo of colourways. In a season of loud colours, the brand has opted to make the suitcase a canvas that you can build on. Despite its origins, brown, in this case, isn't the opposite of luxury, but the foundation of it.
The practical side is sensible, too. Both colours are part of RIMOWA's Essential line, which uses the brand's lightweight, high-performance polycarbonate. The range also comes with a stage-free telescopic handle, a Multiwheel system, TSA-approved locks and a compression system that lets you pack more while staying organised.
The handle, zipper, logo badge and wheel housing are all matched to the shell, so nothing breaks the tone. Every suitcase is, of course, covered by RIMOWA's lifetime guarantee.
Both colours extend into RIMOWA's Groove range too so you can carry them in your day-to-day rather than waiting for your next holiday. The Mini Shopping Bag comes in both colours, while the Small Cross-Body Bag and Zipped Pouch come exclusively in Umber. Outside the main collections, even the smaller pieces, such as the Trifold Toiletry Pouch and the packing cubes, come in Ultramarine.
The new RIMOWA Essential collection in Ultramarine and Umber, as well as the new colours for the Groove collection are now available in RIMOWA boutiques and online.
