Rimowa has stopped producing its iconic mini-suitcase amenity kits for airlines, marking the end of an era and sad news for premium cabin travelers.
I stumbled across the news while reading a recent EVA business class trip report from Taipei to Brisbane by Points from the Pacific. I knew that EVA no longer offers Rimowa-branded amenity kits on flights that originate at outstations, but thought that passengers departing TPE continued to receive them. Zac, however, received a different amenity kit.
Upon further research, however, I found that this is a problem that goes beyond EVA. Per the Chicago Business Journal, EVA’s termination of its contract with Rimowa was not due to cost cutting or per the request of EVA, but due to Rimowa’s refusal to renew the contract, which ended last year.
I’ve covered the acquisition of Rimowa by the LVMH group and noted the new direction the company is taking. Alexandre Arnault, 27, is President and CEO. His new vision for the company apparently does not include airline co-branded amenity kits.
It has been ages since I received a Rimowa amenity kit on Lufthansa and ANA has also cut its own version. It now begins to make more sense. Thai Airways still offers Rimowa out of Bangkok to first class passengers, but expect that to end once supplies are exhausted.
> Read More: Meet The 26-Year-Old CEO Of Rimowa
CONCLUSION
Rimowa amenity kits are like my KLM Delft houses or my Lufthansa rubber ducks…among my favorite airline mementos. It is sad that Rimowa has decided to stop producing these amenity kits, but it was fine while it lasted.
FYI, passengers on EVA now receive a Salvatore Ferragamo amenity kit (pictured below) that resembles a Rimowa amenity kit, but is certainly not the same.
@ Matthew — You and FCQ just struck gold! 😉
I just got one on Saturday night out of SFO on LH in First. It’s sad to see them go, but happy I got another one on this trip.
Interesting data point. What color?
Away sells minis that are similar and if you apply for an amex green card before jan/15 using my referral link you will get $100 away credit with which you can buy 3 of them completely free. But last i checked they had stopped selling them.
I think they are limited edition and available during Christmas season as gifts
LVMH is too busy making Chinese money to care about collaborations with airlines, or quality for that matter. When I was younger I absolutely adored the Rimowa Topas, but now they’re just status symbols for Chinese teenage girls and the build quality/service is trash.
How many of these kits does a person really need?
None, but who needs to fly first class either?
But your first class flights don’t accumulate at home. Also, comparing a first class flight, which has limited time product that you only for a limited time, ie, a few hours, versus a product that you take home and lasts for years isn’t a fair comparison.
No one will miss this pretentious rubbish. Worse than Tumi. In any case, a far better alternative is Brics, offered on Qatar. It’s one of the few I bother keeping. It’s not a well known brand but they have a store in the arcade adjacent to the Milan Hyatt ( and sell through Selfridges).
And the Ferragamo is a step up…
Will certainly miss this and sad I didn’t get another chance to fly EVA before these were phased out. Have 2 trips on them out of Taipei for this year
I love these Rimowa amenity kits because they are durable and more easily resuable (at least for me) than soft-sided kits. So they don’t just sit on the shelf gathering dust. I usually have a couple in my carryon for extra glasses and glasses cleaner, prescription bottles, chargers and cords, etc. I found them exceptionally well-made and worry about the future of Rimowa under LVMH which seems to be more fashion and less technical sophistication.
I fly BR, IAH-TPE several times a year for business. I collected a bunch of them over the years and have them in a closet guest room collecting dust. I like them but not sure what to do with them at this point. Wonder if there will be a market for them in the future— doubtful since there’s got to be millions out there.
These things sell everyday on eBay for anywhere from $30 to $60+ depending on the color and/or airline. New and Used…… And those prices DON’T include shipping!
They sell for $30-60+ on eBay depending on the color and/or airline. That’s before shipping cost! I guess maybe the price will go up as they become more scarce!
I would love to have one of you can spare. I had my TPE- SFO cancelled and I am out of luck with TG first class
hey tom, im willing to buy some off you if u still have extra to spare.
I have half a dozen of them from EVA, Thai and Lufthansa. They are great to store cables, charges, etc… From the US airlines although not a hard case I like the new Tumi bag from Delta. It is very handy to store cables, etc… The ones from AA are useless. I never fly UA so don’t know of theirs.
Fretting about luxury toiletries while polluting our environment. How dare you!
Seriously, all those mini Rimowa cases are all made in China.
The real luggage are still made in Czech Republic, Canada and Germany.
Sad to see them go, and was fortunate to get a couple on a LH first flight a year or so ago.
It appears that LVMH thinks they can slap Dior logos on them, and sell them at $2440 a pop, so why cobrand in first class?
If this makes the prices go down a few dollars I am all for it. But I really doubt that will ever happen on any airline.. Just a thought..
For a business class ticket? For example, if it cost $3,020 instead of $3,023, that would matter?
Just got one on LH F GRU-FRA, a nice surprise as this is my first.