We've all been there before: you've packed your belongings ahead of a weekend getaway in your favorite carry-on suitcase, but once back home, the trolley remains there — hanging around in your house as you fail to find enough room to conceal it. But what if I told you that two of the world's most coveted design brands have just shown that luggage can double up as an unexpected interior addition, too? Problem solved, you might think, and you wouldn't be wrong. Not completely, at least.
Meet the RIMOWA Vitra collection, a meticulously crafted line that blurs the boundaries between the sleekest cabin baggage and the most futuristic of ottomans. Thanks to these wheel-equipped, suitcase-resembling stools, courtesy of German luggage manufacturer RIMOWA and Swiss furniture design house Vitra, what the brands call the "rhythm of modern life" can now be rolled straight into your home.
On the surface, RIMOWA and Vitra do not have much in common. Dig a little deeper, and you discover a shared commitment to innovation and decades of expertise processing the same durable, lightweight metal: aluminum. For Vitra, the metal crops up most notably in the mid-century Eames Aluminum Chair, whilst the material has been a RIMOWA mainstay since the brand created its first aluminum suitcase in 1937.
For the RIMOWA Vitra collaboration, the brands have jointly developed two limited-edition products: the Aluminum Stool and the Aluminum Toolbox. The aluminum components are processed at RIMOWA's historic headquarters in Cologne, whilst the textile elements are made in Vitra's factory in Weil am Rhein.
The Aluminum Stool is not the first time RIMOWA has wrapped its iconic grooved metal around some furniture. As part of the Vitra Edition 2007 collection, the house collaborated with Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa to create the RIMOWA Aluminium Chair — a stylish, metal creation that would make a bold statement in any modern or Brutalist interior.
This summer, their synergy has led to another exclusive design. The Aluminum Stool is a multi-wheeled cube of grooved aluminum with a detachable cushion and plushly lined storage space. Lined in the sustainable material, Laser RE fabric, and complete with removable leather dividers, this mobile stool marries fashion and functionality with a sheer love of movement, staying true to the brand's origins as luxury luggage manufacturers.
"Vitra and RIMOWA are two iconic brands known for their material expertise and distinctive design," notes RIMOWA CEO Hugues Bonnet-Masimbert. "Sharing a passion for durability and craftsmanship, this collaboration perfectly embodies the essence of 'design' — where innovation and aesthetics come together."
The German-Swiss crossover has also spawned the recreation of a former Vitra design. The Aluminum Toolbox reimagines Arik Levy's 2010 Toolbox, swapping out the original recycled plastic material for RIMOWA’s renowned aluminum. Its recycled lining is a nod to the product’s sustainable beginnings, and, like the stools, each toolbox has leather accents in beige, spring green, or ice blue.
The Aluminum Stool comes in three colors (beige, spring green, and ice blue) and is released as a limited edition of 1,000 pieces, while the Aluminum Toolbox is available in the same choice of colors in a limited run of 100 pieces.
Both items are available to purchase online via RIMOWA and Vitra's websites today, and will also land in select RIMOWA flagship stores worldwide from tomorrow. In Germany, a RIMOWA Vitra 2025 installation is open in a deconstructivist Fire Station in Weil am Rhein until 27 June 2025.
Discover the full RIMOWA Vitra collection, or explore our selected picks from it below.
Unleash your inner child and personalize your stools, toolboxes, and travel essentials with RIMOWA x Vitra's exclusive sticker collection.
Gearing up for a spot of DIY this summer? Practical and chic in equal measure, this toolbox is wrapped in anodised aluminum and has an abrasion-resistant lining.
A pleasingly compact cube of timeless design, the Aluminum Stool is bound to catch eyes and garner compliments, however you style it.
Suddenly got the holiday fever? Take a seat on your RIMOWA Vitra stool and dive deep into our travel trends 2025 report — our digital directory for all things conscious globetrotting. Or if you find yourself in need of more travel essentials, well, say no more and search for your next style signifier with our curated edit for the contemporary wanderer.
