Roger Federer’s custom case. Courtesy of Rimowa
Japan’s capital plays host to a touring exhibit that includes Roger Federer’s custom-made luggage, Patti Smith’s touring suitcase, and Bella Hadid’s airport essentials.
He may have retired from professional tennis’s grueling tour, but Roger Federer is still traveling in style. His luggage, along with those owned by rock legend Patti Smith‘s sticker-laden suitcase, and airport essentials owned by supermodels and international deejays are just of the pieces in display at a touring exhibit making a pitstop in Tokyo.
Federer’s custom case along with other rarely-seen pieces make up SEIT 1898, an exhibit showcasing over 100 cases from Rimowa’s archives in celebration of their 125th anniversary. Highlights include Smith’s suitcase, which displays colorful all-access passes, and studio stickers from venues she’s performed in over the years, tattoo artist Dr. Woo’s luggage, which features red spindle-legged spiders and an angel behind the world, and those owned by musician Pharrell Williams, DJ Peggy Gou, and artist Takashi Murakami. From the fashion set, the jet-set luggage of Bella Hadid, Colette founder Sarah Andelman, and British model Adwoa Adoba are also on display.
Apart from celebrity-owned pieces, the exhibit will also showcase collaborations with different brands, such as Off-White (a collaboration with Billie Eilish) and Dior, as well as pop culture pieces, such as the briefcase featured in Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible IV. Rounding up the archival pieces, including a collaboration with contemporary artist Fabian Bergmark Nasman, who combined his style of curved horns with Rimowa’s signature grooved aluminum luggage to create a statement exhibit piece featured at The Community Paris’ AS SEEN BY exhibition in 2021.
The SEIT 1898 exhibit will make its first stop in Tokyo from June 9 to 18 this year. It will then go to New York on September 8 to 17 before heading to Cologne in the spring of 2024.
