Who Owns Rimowa?

Rimowa was founded in 1898 by Paul Morszeck in Cologne, Germany, as a manufacturer of leather goods and travel accessories. The company's name comes from "Ri-Mo-Wa," an abbreviation of "Richard Morszeck Warenzeichen" (Richard Morszeck Trademark), referring to Paul's son Richard, who took over the business in the 1930s.

The company's most significant innovation came in 1950, when Richard Morszeck introduced the first aluminum suitcase. The aluminum construction was inspired by the fuselage design of the Junkers F13, one of the first all-metal passenger aircraft. The aluminum suitcase offered a combination of lightweight construction and durability that was new to luggage at the time. The distinctive parallel grooves on the exterior of the aluminum cases, which became Rimowa's most recognizable design element, were added to increase the structural rigidity of the aluminum panels without adding weight.

Also in 1950, a fire destroyed Rimowa's Cologne factory. Richard Morszeck rebuilt the business and continued developing the aluminum suitcase line. The rebuilt factory allowed Rimowa to expand production, and the brand grew steadily through the 1950s and 1960s as international air travel became more accessible to affluent consumers.

The grooved aluminum design became Rimowa's signature aesthetic. The parallel horizontal grooves run the full width of the suitcase, giving Rimowa cases an immediately distinctive appearance that has remained largely unchanged since the 1950s.

The third generation of the Morszeck family, Dieter Morszeck, took over the business in the 1980s. Under his leadership, Rimowa introduced the polycarbonate suitcase in 2000. This added a lighter-weight alternative to the aluminum cases, appealing to travelers who wanted Rimowa's design in a more practical format for frequent travel. The polycarbonate cases, sold under the Essential collection name, became the brand's best-selling product line and expanded Rimowa's addressable market considerably.

Dieter Morszeck also pursued a strategy of brand elevation. He repositioned Rimowa from a quality luggage brand to a luxury brand with premium pricing and selective distribution. This included opening Rimowa's own retail stores and reducing distribution through department stores and luggage retailers. The repositioning laid the groundwork for the LVMH acquisition.

LVMH acquired Rimowa in 2017, with Alexandre Arnault, son of LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault, appointed as CEO at age 25. Arnault's appointment signaled LVMH's intention to accelerate Rimowa's transformation into a fully-fledged luxury brand. Under Arnault, Rimowa pursued collaborations with Supreme, Dior, Fendi, and Porsche, which generated significant media coverage and cultural relevance among younger luxury consumers. The brand also experimented with Web3 and NFTs in 2022, though this initiative was short-lived.

Hugues Bonnet-Masimbert succeeded Arnault as CEO in January 2021. Bonnet-Masimbert had joined Rimowa in 2018 as executive VP of sales and client operations after nearly 30 years at LVMH brands including Loewe, Celine, Louis Vuitton, and Berluti. Under his leadership, Rimowa introduced a lifetime warranty in 2023, launched the Rimowa Design Prize to support emerging design talent, and expanded the brand's lifestyle category with backpacks and travel bags.

In March 2026, Bonnet-Masimbert moved to Louis Vuitton as chief commercial officer. Beatrice Monguidi, formerly president of EMEA at Louis Vuitton, was named his replacement effective June 1, 2026. Her appointment continues LVMH's practice of grooming executives from within its largest brands.

Rimowa's 2025 and 2026 product releases show the brand's continued focus on design innovation. In January 2025, Rimowa launched a limited-edition bronze Original Cabin bag in collaboration with Rick Owens, priced at 2,900 euros with only 500 units produced. In March 2026, the brand released the Classic Aluminum Grid collection, reviving a forgotten 1969 archival grid pattern across 1,969 numbered pieces. April 2026 brought a collaboration with Swiss furniture maker Lehni on aluminum storage pieces, and a new orange and magenta colorway for the Essential polycarbonate line. In July 2026, Rimowa added Ink Blue as a permanent colorway to its Original aluminum collection.