Carl Friedrik

Carl Friedrik luggage is firmly on the premium side, and the brand makes durability the cornerstone of its sustainability practice, so the case for it is longevity rather than a bargain. Its luggage has been widely reviewed, with Wired calling The Carry-on 'handsome and durable' and The Independent noting its premium build. If you travel regularly and want a bag built to last, the cost is easier to justify; for occasional trips it may be more than you need.

It depends on how you travel. The brand began with leather briefcases such as the Palissy line before expanding into luggage in 2019, so the Palissy is the heritage choice for a work bag, while The Carry-on is the natural starting point if you want a suitcase. Reviewers have praised The Carry-on X as well-constructed with useful interior features, which makes it a strong first hard-shell pick.

The Palissy is one of Carl Friedrik's founding leather collections, dating back to the briefcases the brand started with before it moved into luggage. The Palissy Double briefcase in particular has been described by reviewers as a well-crafted business bag, praised for its durability and understated design. It is the piece that best captures the brand's original leather-goods roots.

Carl Friedrik is a British travel goods brand based in London, founded in 2013 by Swedish-born brothers Niklas and Mattis Oppermann. It began with handcrafted leather wallets and briefcases, then expanded into luggage in 2019. Its design language draws on Scandinavian design principles, a nod to the founders' roots filtered through a London base.

Because that is exactly how the press has framed it. The Times positioned the brand within the trend for quiet luxury, noting its focus on understated design and materials. The look is deliberately restrained rather than logo-heavy, which is part of why it appealed to stylists for shows like Succession, The White Lotus and The Gentlemen, where the products appeared on screen.

Yes. The Carry-on X was awarded the Wallpaper Smart Space Award in the Smart Luggage category in 2022, followed by an iF Product Design Award in 2024. Those recognitions speak to the brand's emphasis on considered, functional design rather than just looks.

The brand has been largely direct-to-consumer, but it has been building a physical presence. Carl Friedrik opened its first standalone retail store in London in 2024, after securing a £1 million investment to expand its retail footprint, and followed with a second boutique on Floral Street in Covent Garden in 2025. Buying direct or in those stores is the safest route to genuine pieces.

It has. Carl Friedrik has collaborated with British menswear label Hackett London on limited-edition luggage collections. It has also worked in motorsport, signing a licensing deal in 2023 with the Atlassian Williams Racing Formula One team to produce co-branded travel products, having previously served as the Official Luggage Partner of Scuderia AlphaTauri.

It can be a trade-off. While reviewers consistently praise the build quality, Wired specifically noted that The Carry-on was heavier than some rivals, and The Manual found the Traverse Backpack practical but less spacious than some larger models. If shaving every gram matters to you, weigh that against the durability you are buying.

The brand spans both leather and hard-shell construction. It started in handcrafted leather goods such as wallets and briefcases, then expanded into hard-shell suitcases and travel backpacks from 2019. Across the range it leans on luxury materials and a built-to-last philosophy, which is the throughline reviewers keep returning to.