David Shrigley brightens up Globe-Trotter suitcases with humorous illustrations

Tourism, despite being a major contributor in the global GDP, usually fails to supplement new and innovative designs for one of the main accessories carried and handled during travel. This trend can perhaps be blamed on the fact that simply styled and sturdy luggages manage to sell well enough without any additional ornamentation. Consequently, brands and manufacturers tend to focus on creating tough bags and luggage with appropriate-sized pockets and disregard or pay less attention to its aesthetic. An activity as vigorous as travelling, however, almost demands the availability of creatively designed paraphernalia. Assuaging this demand, Globe-Trotter, a luxury luggage manufacturer, collaborated with British visual artist, David Shrigley to present a limited edition collection of carry-on suitcases.

Shrigley is known for his distinct style that juxtaposes simplistic illustrations of objects, animals and people from everyday life against humorous text that entertains, intrigues and makes a statement, all at once. His art is simple, almost rudimentary, yet it manages to present the British artist’s daily observations with an added layer of irony. His absurd and irreverent one-liners that accompany all illustrations are a flawless blend of humour and feisty opinions, posing thus as perfect attention grabbers. They manage to surprise and amuse the viewer with their boldness and hilarity, while also subtly managing to stimulate introspection. What makes his pieces especially fun to skim through is the satire with which he decorates everyday happenings and general human interactions and conversations. “I got to design every part of the luggage from the Globe-Trotter template, which meant picking colour and texture. Then I chose the statements: one is about luggage itself as a metaphor, the other is more oblique,” says Shrigley about this limited edition collection.

Titled ‘Untitled (Be an Ass)’ and ‘Untitled (baggage)’, the two cases that make up the Globe-Trotter collection are fun and stylish baggage. They fulfil their utilitarian role, while also posing as quirky accessories that can draw attention and serve as conversation starters while travelling. “I’m interested in metaphors and oblique statements, onto which you’re invited to project your own meaning. My designs aren’t crossword puzzles where there is just one solution – as the context changes, so does the significance,” says Shrigley about the illustrations and words that make up his design for Globe-Trotter.

Imprinted on the body of Globe-Trotter’s iconic four wheel Carry-On cases are Shrigley’s hand-painted graphics and hand-written text. Against the ivory vulcanised fibreboard, these bright azure and brown illustrations stand out. Vibrant cobalt blue corners that are studded with brass rivets further enhance the appearance of each piece, making their surfaces look like framed paintings. Each of the two cases are part of a limited edition series of five pieces, thus making them fit under the bracket of art or rather, art that can be lugged around across the globe.

Shrigley was especially impressed by Globe-Trotter’s high-quality chic and fancy luggages that stand out against typical luggages.It is a 125 year old British luggage brand that has, over the years, managed to suffuse luxury in the travel lifestyle through their handcrafted bag, baggage and luggage collections. Crafted by highly skilled artisans using aboriginal manufacturing methods that date back as far as the Victorian era, the brand is known for its high quality and classy offerings. With this latest collection, they manage to perk up the interest of their users by letting art infiltrate a usually pragmatic market.