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1. HISTORY a. Company history from foundation to the 120th anniversary In 1898 Paul Morszeck and Heinrich Görtz founded a luggage and leather goods company in Cologne called Görtz & Morszeck. By 1900, Paul Morszeck remained as the only director of the company. In 1931, his son, Richard Morszeck, became involved in the company and registered the trademark RIMOWA at the Reich Patent Office in Berlin. In the 1930s Richard had experimented with different materials and wanted to use his knowledge to make the case lighter and more stable. In 1937, he developed an aluminum suitcase which offered the combined advantages of high durability with low weight. This is how the original Rimowa suitcase was introduced, a turning point for the company . Shortly after, the factory buildings burned and all flammable materials were destroyed , leaving only aluminum. As a result, Rimowa used exclusively metal cases, which offered the combined advantages of high durability with low weight. The company buildings were rebuilt in 1946 and remained in Mathias-Brüggen-Straße, the company's headquarters until 1986, until they moved to the Richard-Byrd-Straße. In 1972, Richard Morszeck's son, Dieter, joined the company at the age of 19. Dieter Morszeck, a former photographer, developed the first waterproof and dustproof camera case in 19764, suitable for both desert and tropical environments. In 1981, Dieter Morszeck took over management. In 2008, Rimowa sold about 400,000 suitcases, about two-thirds were polycarbonate, still with the typical groove structure and TSA lock . In recent years, the demand for aluminum luggage has further increased. In 2013, the proportion of aluminum crates in total sales was approximately 45% . Rimowa produces in its own factories in Germany, Czech Republic, Canada and Brazil. In 2013, 5,800 cases were produced daily. Since its early years, RIMOWA has always been an innovative company. New designs and technical advancement aiming to make their suitcases lighter, stronger and easier to use, are frequently released, such as the Multiwheel, the introduction of a resilient polycarbonate or the electronic tag. In 2017, RIMOWA joined the LMVH Group and became its first German Maison, with Alexandre Arnault becoming CEO of the company. LVMH took an 80% stake for 640 million euros . A significant portion of the proceeds from the sale must be donated to a charitable foundation . The 20% of the share capital that has not been acquired is covered by a put option granted by LVMH, exercisable from 2020.
b. Partnerships Rimowa has established partnerships with other well-known German brands, such as with Lufthansa , in 1998 for the centenary of the brand, or with Porsche in 1999. As part of the Porsche partnership, Rimowa regularly produces special series with alternative colours and designs. Since 2017, Rimowa made a big change in strategy from product placement to high-end collaborations and partnership such as with Fendi with an exclusive limited edition , Monocle and its army-green version , Monclair and its customised set of luggages as well as ASSC (The Anti Social Social Club) .
c. Famous users of Rimowa
Thanks to 120 years of constant innovation and high-quality product, Rimowa has fostered good relationships amongst a creative elite and renowned celebrities. To mark the 80th anniversary of the Rimowa aluminium case, some of them were invited to present their own aluminium luggage and to invite us into the world of their personal travels, such as the well-known fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, award-winning director David Fincher, actress Fan Bingbing, artist Anne Imhof, editor in chief Carine Roitfeld, singer Lykke Li, designer Virgile Abloh, filmmaker Michael Moore, entrepreneur Martha Stewart, iconic chef Massimo Bottura, curator Hans Ulrich Obrist, design collective AMBUSH, architect Annabelle Selldorf and DJ and designer Nigo . Other celebrities from the worlds of art, fashion, media, or music are also historic Rimowa customers such as Pharrel Williams , Bella Hadid , or Gwyneth Paltrow .
New modification Rimowa
[edit]PRODUCTS
In 1937, the first suitcases featuring the iconic RIMOWA grooves were produced. Made from duraluminium, an alloy of aluminium and magnesium, the suitcases combine minimum weight and extensive strength. Originally, the parallel-grooved aluminum structure was used to stabilize the thin aluminum, now this is the RIMOWA signature, protected as a trademark. This design quickly acquired cult status amongst the international jet set. To mark the 80th anniversary of the RIMOWA aluminium case, close friends of the brand presented their own aluminium luggage and invited us into the world of their personal travels . Fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld showed a personal photograph of his suitcase. Number of personalities played the game, each of them with their own story [Link to famous users of Rimowa section].
In 1976, after Dieter Morszeck’s arrival, the company developed the Tropicana, the first waterproof camera case. It was, at the time, a ground-breaking innovation for professionals in film-making and photography, who sometimes work in extreme environment and needed their material to endure water, humidity, tropical heat or arctic cold.
In the late 1990s, the company successfully introduced polycarbonate in box construction. Polycarbonate increased the stability of the case and saved about a quarter of the weight compared to aluminum. In 2000, a new line made from polycarbonate was introduced. It reduced weight, while offering maximum strength and resilience. It created a revolution in the luggage industry.
From 2000, RIMOWA’s products lines were further diversified and new, state-of-the-art technologies were introduced. For example:
The Multiwheel systems , adapted from office chairs and hospital beds, allows the heaviest suitcases to turn on their own axis with little effort
Certified combination locks with multiple lock cylinders, allow locks to be opened for inspection by the American Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Modular pocket systems, pivoting handles.
In 2008, the Salsa Deluxe range was launched in a variety of colours. The luxury Topas Titanium line was also launched. The flex-divider system was incorporated across most product lines.
In 2009, the Salsa Air range, which reduced the weight of the Salsa by 30%, was introduced in several colours.
In 2016, the electronic tag was introduced. It allows travellers (on selected airlines) to replace paper tags with a digital display of their ticket directly on the suitcase.
In 2017, Rimowa celebrated the 80 years anniversary of the aluminium case
Today, the fabrication process consists of a 90-step-process and is a combination of high-tech machinery and hand work. Both the aluminium and polycarbonate have been recognized by the TÜV Rheinland Product Safety GmbH . The Topas, launched in 2008, remains the iconic product of the company. Several of the most iconic and original suitcases of the 120-year-old family company are exhibited in a “Museum” on the first floor of Rimowa’s Cologne store.