In the arena of accessories, luggages and attachés are a category unto their own. They are things an individual might purchase but a few times in their life, or at least one hopes that will be the case. And what a funny word is that, case—a protective skin or shell for one’s most precious belongings: fine clothing, personal items, private documents. Suitcases and briefcases are thus an appendage to the traveller or businessperson, accompaniments to life’s most important and memorable moments. Hence, they should endure not only the trends and seasons, but also the rigorous wear and tear of a life well lived.
Suitable it is, then, that the brands at Betty Hemmings Leathergoods—a Toronto luxury luggage merchant, which has arrived in Vancouver at Hornby and Hastings with the opening of its second outpost—have lasted the test of time. Hartmann, established in 1877, is one of the oldest luggage manufacturers in America and the exclusive carrier of all things presidential. Similarly, the Royal Family uses only Swaine Adeney Brigg, a London-based maker of leather items and umbrellas dating back to 1750, when they tour the commonwealth. Pineider originated as a paper stationery producer 237 years ago in Florence, but found soon thereafter their non-stationary clientele needed something in which to transport those delicate sheets. And Betty Hemmings’s own line of leathers is handcrafted by Italian artisans whose business is so bespoke they don’t even a have website. (But that doesn’t stop them from making handsome iPad covers.)
These are just a sampling of the duffels, cases, folios and folders that turn back the hands of time. But to mention only them would be to ignore the coveted likes of Tumi, Longchamp, Globe-Trotter, the Bridge and others also available at Betty Hemmings. Service replete with certified in-house restoration guarantees that, no matter which make you choose, any item purchased at the store will live up to the legacy of its brand and, more importantly, that of its beholder.
