Our Very Own Corner of History
Established in 1897, our cases are synonymous with the Golden Age of travel. And to this day, the shape and style of many of our products remain unchanged. Production still takes place by hand in England.
We apply the same attention to detail, using some of the same production methods and machinery of the Victorian era. Possibly our most timeless and enduring innovation is Vulcanised Fibreboard. An unfathomable feat of strength that is yet to be imitated successfully and has kept our cases incredibly strong but impossibly lightweight for 125 years and counting.
In the Hands of the Finest Characters
We are shaped by the characters who carry us. In the past, leaders such as the late Queen Elizabeth II and Winston Churchill, and famed explorers like Edmund Hillary have all put their mark on the world with a Globe-Trotter in hand. While modern day icons Daniel Craig, David Beckham, Kate Moss and Emma Watson all choose Globe-Trotter to accompany them on life’s adventures.
A Companion to Discovery
Adventure is far less about where you go and much more about how you carry yourself. And of course what case you carry. At Globe-Trotter we believe the more open you are, the more the world opens up to you. And the more your character is shaped by the places you see, the people you meet and the opportunities you grasp. So, what might begin with a new suitcase, is really the beginning of the voyage of a lifetime.
Together we can go a lot further
While we are proud of our heritage, our compass points firmly to the future. We are inspired by what next and where to? It’s a sentiment reflected in each of our partnerships and exquisite collaboration collections. From luxury fashion houses like Hermes and Gucci, to timeless classics like Turnbull and Asser and Tiffany & Co. And perhaps the most perfect pairing of all, our ongoing adventures with another British icon, 007.
IN THE BEGINNING
1897
David Nelken establishes Globe-Trotter in Saxony, Germany.
The British entrepreneur was inspired by the lightweight yet durable nature of vulcanised fibreboard to make his famous suitcases.
THE FIRST PATENT
1901
Globe-Trotter patents the use of vulcanised fibreboard.
ONE-TONNE TEST
1912
An experiment at the Zoological Gardens in Hamburg sees a one-tonne elephant balance its entire weight on a Globe-Trotter suitcase to test the strength of vulcanised fibreboard.
The resulting image is used in a 1912-13 catalogue and later in 1947.
ON HER MAJESTY'S SERVICE
1947
The late Queen Elizabeth II was gifted a Globe-Trotter suitcase for her honeymoon.
MOUNT EVEREST
1953
Sir Edmund Hillary and his trusty Globe-Trotter embark on his quest to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
Globe-Trotter Take To The Skies
1960
Globe-Trotter was selected as official cases for British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC).
Change of ownership
1985
Following Henry Nelken’s death, Malcolm Payton acquired the company, introducing practical innovations like wheelable models.
CENTENARY LAUNCHED
1997
Centenary Collection launched to mark 100 years. The brand cemented its luxury heritage status with the additional of leather straps and guides to the icon Globe-Trotter suitcase.
Friends of Globe-Trotter
