Flashing his trademark smile atop
apileofsuitcasesinastillfromhis
1938 movieHoliday,CaryGrantwas
alreadywellonhiswaytobecoming
one of Hollywood’s definitive
leading men by the time he starred
alongside Katharine Hepburn in this
screwball romantic comedy. The
movietellsthestoryofaself-made
man, Johnny Case (Grant), who is
engaged to a wealthy heiress before
fallinginlovewithherhigh-spirited
sister, played by Hepburn.
Itwasthethirdoffourmovies
that Hepburn and Grant appeared
in together, culminating in the
acclaimedThe Philadelphia Story,in
which Grant is said to have thought
hisperformancewasworthyofan
Oscar, quipping when he eventually
lost out that he’d “have to blacken
my teeth first before the Academy
will take me seriously.”
ThedebonairBritish-American
actor did in fact come from humble
beginnings. Born Archibald “Archie”
Leachin1904nearthedocksin
Bristol, England, Grant was drawn to
the stage after visiting music halls
withhisfather,ononeoccasion
seeing his idol Charlie Chaplin
performintheearlystagesofhis
career. Watching the boats in Bristol
harborasaboy,heusedtodream
of escaping into show business.
His opportunity came when, in
1920,hejoinedaBroadway-bound
troupe that traveled by boat to the
US. Actors Douglas Fairbanks and
Mary Pickford were on board and
Grant quickly befriended them. Later
describing the couple as “the first
filmstarsIevermet,”Grantwenton
to work alongside the likes of Frank
Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe... but he
neverdidmanagetowinthatOscar.
The story
behind
the picture
Wealthy consumers continue to spend and luxury
travel is close to the top of their shopping lists, a trend
that translates into significant potential for the luggage
market. Indeed, travel goods are expected to grow
globally into a $5 billion business by 2020. Last year
saw Chanel choose an airport theme for its spring/
summer show, tapping into the zeitgeist, and LVMH
taking a controlling stake in Rimowa. And this was in
the wake of Samsonite’s purchase of the American
brand Tumi for $1.8 billion, making it by far and away
the world’s largest suitcase manufacturer.
An aspiring artist and sculptor in his youth, Victor
Sanz studied art at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.
There he was introduced to industrial design, and was
also intrigued by mass production that enabled art to
“get into the hands of many.” He began his career as a
designer of digital cameras at Eastman Kodak, but
Sanz admits he already had an “itch for fashion.”Upper case
Victor Sanz, creative director of Tumi,
tellsHarriet Mays Powellhow an item
of luggage can also be a piece of artTumi’s 19 Degrees
collection features
aluminum cases in
a contemporary
style with
distinctive
sculpted anglesNOVEMBER 2017
SHOP THE
BESTLUXURY
SUITCASES
boatint.com/
suitcases