The 10 Best suitcases

Quilted, leopard print, four-wheeler or parrot-shaped? Pack with style in one of these essential travel companions

view gallery VIEW GALLERY

{1} Briggs and Riley Weekender

An extra-large weekend bag that’s smart, sophisticated and very spacious. The strong nylon outer fabric is water and abrasion resistant, so should handle any knocks in transit without damage. The heavy-duty zippers say this luggage is built to last.

£179, directluggage.co.uk

{2} Eastpak Tranverz Holdall

For those who want something in between a hard suitcase and a weekend bag, this is a fantastic compromise. With two wheels and a telescopic handle for cruising the airport, the bag is guaranteed for 30 years. Did we mention it comes in leopard print?

£84, johnlewis.com

{3} Herschel Parcel

From the brand behind some of the  most popular and most fashionable rucksacks of the moment, this suitcase really is a treat. Custom printed, with Herschel’s signature leather toggles,  this well-crafted case is as hip as  they come. 

£210, flatspot.com

{4} Knomo Marseille

An eccentric, yet smart bag, this colourful wheeled trolley is a fashionable luggage solution from the London-based designer Knomo. The quilting isn’t just for show; it should keep your belongings pleasantly cushioned as they go.

£164.50, knomobags.com

{5} Mulberry Scotchgrain

Trimmed in tan leather, with brushed gold decals, this bag from the renowned fashion house Mulberry is a truly indulgent buy. If you’re spending  this much on a suitcase then you  better be planning an amazing  holiday to go with it. Skegness, here  we come!

£750, selfridges.com

{6} Rimowa Salsa

German design you can trust, this case is built from super light polycarbonate and is incredibly sturdy. The built-in combination lock offers state-of-the-art security so you can travel with peace of mind. Just looking at it, you can tell it’s not to be messed with.

£423, globalluggage.co.uk

{7} The Diplomat

Travel in style with this vintage-inspired suitcase that harks back to the days when trains ran on steam and air travel didn’t require speedy  boarding. The leather case, part of the luxurious Steamline Luggage range, features  approved locks, roller wheels  and a metal frame to hold it in shape.

£370, selfridges.com

{8} SuitSuit Washing Machine

It may really look like a washing machine, but it is, in fact, a suitcase. How the team at Suitsuit came up with the idea is beyond us, but it certainly makes a change from the usual. The lightweight case is impact resistant with plenty of packing straps and pockets inside for all your dirty laundry.

£169, selfridges.com

{9} Travel Buddies Popo Parrot

Keep the kids in check with this cute parrot-shaped number. Popo may look fun, but he (or she?) is also incredibly functional, with a telescopic handle, roller wheels, a fully lined interior and elastic packing straps.

£40, johnlewis.com

{10} Tripp Holiday four-Wheel Suitcase

Simple and affordable, the Tripp range offers a great selection of tough, secure cases. They also come in a huge range of cheerful colours, so you’ll be able to spot it coming of the luggage carousel with ease.

£49, tripp.co.uk

Independent Comment
blog comments powered by Disqus
Independent Travel Videos
Independent Travel Videos
Simon Calder in Amsterdam
Independent Travel Videos
Simon Calder in Giverny
Independent Travel Videos
Simon Calder in St John's
Independent Travel Videos
News in pictures
World news in pictures
       
Independent
Travel Shop
Berlin - East meets West
Three nights from only £399pp Find out more
Europe’s finest river cruises
Four nights from £669pp, seven nights from £999pp or 13 nights from £2,199pp Find out more
Historic Sicily
Seven nights half-board from only £799pp Find out more

ES Rentals

    Independent Dating
    and  

    By clicking 'Search' you
    are agreeing to our
    Terms of Use.

    iJobs Job Widget
    iJobs Travel

    Sales and Marketing Executive Germany

    Competitive : Ryanair: We are currently recruiting for a Sales and Marketing E...

    Kenyan Healthcare Charity Looking for Volunteer Accountant

    Volunteer unpaid: Accounting for International Development (AfID): Does the so...

    Business Development Consultant - Graduate Program

    £20,000 - £23,000 + Commission : Co-Venture: This is an exciting opportunity t...

    Food Technology Teacher

    £26400 - £36000 per annum: Randstad Education Maidstone: An Independant school...

    Day In a Page

    Special report: How my father's face turned up in Robert Capa's lost suitcase

    Special report: How my father's face turned up in Robert Capa's lost suitcase

    The great war photographer was not one person but two. Their pictures of Spain's civil war, lost for decades, tell a heroic tale
    The unmade speech: An alternative draft of history

    The unmade speech: An alternative draft of history

    Someone, somewhere has to write speeches for world leaders to deliver in the event of disaster. They offer a chilling hint at what could have been
    Funny business: Meet the women running comedy

    Funny business: Meet the women running comedy

    Think comedy’s a man's world? You must be stuck in the 1980s, says Holly Williams
    Wilko Johnson: 'You have to live for the minute you're in'

    Wilko Johnson: 'You have to live for the minute you're in'

    The Dr Feelgood guitarist talks frankly about his terminal illness
    Lure of the jingle: Entrepreneurs are giving vintage ice-cream vans a new lease of life

    Lure of the jingle

    Entrepreneurs are giving vintage ice-cream vans a new lease of life
    Who stole the people's own culture?

    DJ Taylor: Who stole the people's own culture?

    True popular art drives up from the streets, but the commercial world wastes no time in cashing in
    Guest List: The IoS Literary Editor suggests some books for your summer holiday

    Guest List: IoS Literary Editor suggests some books for your summer holiday

    Before you stuff your luggage with this year's Man Booker longlist titles, the case for some varied poolside reading alternatives
    What if Edward Snowden had stayed to fight his corner?

    Rupert Cornwell: What if Edward Snowden had stayed to fight his corner?

    The CIA whistleblower struck a blow for us all, but his 1970s predecessor showed how to win
    'A man walks into a bar': Comedian Seann Walsh on the dangers of mixing alcohol and stand-up

    Comedian Seann Walsh on alcohol and stand-up

    Comedy and booze go together, says Walsh. The trouble is stopping at just the one. So when do the hangovers stop being funny?
    From Edinburgh to Hollywood (via the Home Counties): 10 comedic talents blowing up big

    Edinburgh to Hollywood: 10 comedic talents blowing up big

    Hugh Montgomery profiles the faces to watch, from the sitcom star to the surrealist
    'Hello. I have cancer': When comedian Tig Notaro discovered she had a tumour she decided the show must go on

    Comedian Tig Notaro: 'Hello. I have cancer'

    When Notaro discovered she had a tumour she decided the show must go on
    They think it's all ova: Bill Granger's Asia-influenced egg recipes

    Bill Granger's Asia-influenced egg recipes

    Our chef made his name cooking eggs, but he’s never stopped looking for new ways to serve them
    The world wakes up to golf's female big hitters

    The world wakes up to golf's female big hitters

    With its own Tiger Woods - South Korea's Inbee Park - the women's game has a growing audience
    10 athletes ready to take the world by storm in Moscow next week

    10 athletes ready to take the world by storm in Moscow next week

    Here are the potential stars of the World Championships which begin on Saturday
    The Last Word: Luis Suarez and Gareth Bale's art of manipulation

    The Last Word: Luis Suarez and Gareth Bale's art of manipulation

    Briefings are off the record leading to transfer speculation which is merely a means to an end