NEW
YORK, July 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Away, the
original travel lifestyle brand, is poised to once again disrupt
the luggage industry with the introduction of Softside. This
exciting development comes as part of a year marked by accelerated
product innovation and strategic retail expansion, including the
brand's first foray into wholesale and timely collaborations with
influential brands and designers alike.
Nearly a decade since its founding, boasting millions of
satisfied customers and billions of miles traveled, Away's iconic
hardside suitcases have become a cultural mainstay, amassing cult
status over the years and showcasing the power of high-quality,
functional, and stylish products that make every travel experience
more seamless.
Recognizing that over 50% of luggage sales in the U.S. are
softside luggage with more than 90M
U.S travelers using softside luggage exclusively, Away saw an
exciting opportunity to breathe new life into a stale category
that remains relatively untouched by innovation despite the surge
of competitors and imitators in the hardside luggage market. With
the same disruptor energy that transformed the hardside luggage
industry, Away will now cater to a new customer base who have long
awaited a fresh take on soft luggage.
"Travel is deeply personal, and preference in luggage is no
exception," said Jen Rubio,
co-founder and CEO of Away. "With our launch in 2016, we
revolutionized the hardside market and proved that you don't have
to sacrifice style for function. After years of design iterations,
rigorous testing, and thousands of interactions with softside
customers to understand their travel habits and style preferences,
we are uniquely positioned to redefine this historically uninspired
category. Finally, softside travelers will have an elevated and
affordable option they can feel proud to travel with."
Softside embodies everything customers already know and love
about Away: a modern, stylish aesthetic with innovative design
features like the brand's signature compression system which
includes a custom pad that makes every trip more seamless. It's
crafted in a lightweight, high-strength nylon material that offers
extra give while packing and is both abrasion-resistant and
water-repellant for extra durability. With this new line, Away
introduces new features that matter for the softside traveler,
including a top flap opening that boasts even more interior
organization and opens to a spacious main compartment, two no-show
exterior front pockets for accessible organization, a matching
TSA-accepted padlock, and a proprietary stabilizer to keep the bag
upright when full.
Launching in four classic colors (Jet Black, Cloud Gray, Coast
Blue, and Clay Pink) across Away's
four original sizes (The Carry-On, The Bigger Carry-On, The Medium,
and The Large), the line transcends mere utility, and merges smart
functionality with the style and intentional design synonymous with
the Away brand.
True to form, Away's Softside offers a high-quality, functional,
and stylish solution at an unprecedented value allowing any
Softside traveler to get away. Priced competitively between
$225 to $325, all sizes and colors will be available for
purchase exclusively at awaytravel.com or in-store at any of the
brand's 17 retail locations in the U.S., U.K., and Canada beginning July
9th.
To mark the launch of this disruptive new product, Away
celebrates varying travel preferences and styles through a new
Softside campaign that brings together an incredible, and
unexpected group of actors, writers, chefs, athletes and more. This
memorable group embodies both the Away brand and the idea that
anyone can be a softside person. Campaign stars include:
Megan Stalter, Ben Marshall, Alan
Ruck, Jerry Saltz,
Tyshawn Jones, Aminatou Sow, Cleo
Wade, Jenny Walton,
Tyler Joe, Dan Pelosi, and Gus
Heagerty.
With this next chapter, Away reaffirms their commitment to meet
the changing needs of real travelers and to revolutionize the
travel industry one suitcase at a time.
About Away
Away is the original travel lifestyle brand, defining travel for
a new generation. Rooted in the core belief that the more everyone
travels, the better we all become, the company's mission is to
create everything you need to travel well. Away launched in 2016
with one perfectly designed Carry-On and has since revolutionized
the industry by creating a range of luggage and travel essentials
backed by the promise of exceptional quality and customer
satisfaction. Away is headquartered in New York City, with teams in London and Toronto, and a global presence that is
apparent in every airport. Boasting industry accolades like Fast
Company's "World's Most Innovative Companies" and TIME's "Best
Inventions," Away is the go-to authority for travelers today. For
more information, visit www.awaytravel.com.
Media Contact
Away
Yasmin Shahida
Director of Communications
press@awaytravel.com
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SOURCE Away