There’s a powerful feeling one gets when walking through the beautiful architecture of New York’s Grand Central Station. If one was to think about that experience and pair it with a travel bag –much in the same way you would pair a bottle of wine with a meal– this special Cavalier II No.97 by Ghurka is very obviously the perfect carryall for the occasion. I don’t even want to think about the bag that would represent Penn Station, though I’m sure you all have some ideas.
Just recently, Park & Bond got together with Ghurka to create these two exclusive bags: a weekender and a dopp kit. Both of the monochromatic bags are done in the online retailer’s colors of navy and red, with a subtle Park & Bond ampersand logo embossed on one side. Ghurka, which has been going through a bit of a revival as of late, has never done a bag in navy canvas and has never used navy leather, which sets these pieces apart from the other equally handsome goods that the company turns out of its workshop in Norwalk, Connecticut.
My good friend David Coggins is always pining for a world beyond wheels, a world where all bags are carried and nothing is rolled. It’s always a proposition that I find both curious and pretty odd. This is especially strange to me because I am the guy that uses a hard-sided four-wheeled suitcase. Though part of me also understands some of the allure of what David is saying. Apparently, so does Park & Bond’s VP of Editorial and Creative Tyler Thoreson, who explained to me the thought process around this specific Ghurka collaboration. “We chose the Cavalier II because it’s the perfect size for a weekend getaway. Anything smaller is too small, and anything larger and you’re just filling up space with stuff you don’t really need for a couple of days away. It also makes for an incredibly stylish carry-on–a sophisticated and understated way to differentiate yourself from the hordes and their roller bags.”
That’s a thought that presents the million dollar question: Could this handsome Cavalier II No.97 signal the extinction of the wheelie bag?
Only for a weekend.
Available from Park & Bond today. Cavalier II No.97 weekender retails for $795 and the dopp kit for $295. Both made in Connecticut in a limited run of 100.
One of the better collabs I’ve witnessed in awhile. That red lining gives it a welcome pop of color, and the whole thing is on another level of refinement. Thanks for this Michael!
-P.
“Could this handsome Cavalier II No.97 signal the extinction of the wheelie bag?”
At $800 bucks? In a word, “NO.”
Thanks, I fixed it.
@vanderleun: +1
I was 95% there, but then I found out it has the stores logo embossed on it. FAIL
I’ve never really understood the duffel or carryall from a practical standpoint. There isn’t a person in his right mind who would prefer lugging a big heavy bag through the drab terminals of today when faced with the option of an easy to move wheelie. Yes I do see the charm of a beat up duffel thrown over ones shoulder but that charm soon disappears when those straps start digging into your hands after half an hour in the security line.
Shahwaiz: only if you’re a wuss. I’m with the friend mentioned above and think wheeled bags are a horrible idea. They take up too much space in the bins and when they’ve being towed. On top of that, they’re just plain ugly and acceptable only for the weak and infirm.