Noble and Graff By: Steven Carver
Luggage is known for transporting materials from point A to point B, usually in utilitarian ways. Function over form, substance over style. For those who want the exterior shell to be as appealing as its interior contents, Noble & Graff is there for the frequent flier living the – quite often, jet set – life. If the aesthetic of Noble & Graff looks familiar, it’s because it should. NG Lester was the former head of design and co-founder of Norton MacCullough & Locke, another high end luggage company. With his training in Austria and the UK as a craftsman, carpenter, tailor and menswear designer, Lester is now overseeing the creative direction of the company, both style- and business-wise. By creating limited numbers of hand-crafted pieces in England, Noble & Graff is able to keep a tight rein on quality through every step of the process. Their highly trained artisans take pride in delivering personalized, dedicated service while preserving traditional luggage-making techniques using leather, wood and metal. The craftsmanship is evident in each piece – the gold-plated locks ‘click’ solidly, the leather handles are assembled and reinforced with steel.
The team’s vast and various design talents are quite obvious upon further inspection. Their previous histories include producing goods, graphics and illustrations for a diverse and distinguished range of companies – hotels (The Four Seasons), fashion houses (Alexander McQueen) and jewellery makers (Cindy Chao the Art Jewel) – within Europe and Asia. The group is committed to produce luxurious products; small carryalls and jewellery boxes to large travelling trunks. Designed with a nod to the 1920’s, each piece contains modern conveniences. People need to pack not only their clothing, but also digital equipment that’s prevalent in today’s world. Granted, their Bordeaux trunk is still designed for those who need to house and transport three standard sized wine bottles for a weekend getaway. Pack the essentials in Noble & Graff for the weekend – it’s time to go on a trip. The Riedel glassware is strictly optional.
BELLO