Rimowa x Daniel Arsham Unveil ‘Worn’ Pilot Suitcase With Dusty Relic Inside
Image courtesy of Rimowa
When Daniel Arsham was doing research for his collaborative suitcase with Rimowa back in 2019, he stumbled upon the retrofuturistic pilot case from its archives. The compact design, created in 1994 to be tucked beneath a pilot’s seat, resonated with him. Of course, he wasn’t the only one to have been awestruck—at its launch, the grooved aluminum case quickly became a firm favorite among musicians and DJs, who’d use it to stow away records and equipment.
The historical pilot case became the muse for their partnership then. Arsham reimagined it into a sculpture resembling an “eroded suitcase,” then stashed it inside a larger carry-on to be, well, excavated. The artwork mirrored his Future Relics series, where modern yet ordinary objects are reinterpreted as artifacts.
Now, another adventure awaits. The newest effort between Rimowa and Arsham unearths the pilot case once again; only this time, the suitcase isn’t the relic, but the vessel that carries yet another antiquity.
“Archaeologists,” or jet-setters, will discover an Eroded Turntable inside the new collectible Pilot Case reimagined by Arsham. The sculpture, handcrafted from plastic and crushed glass, and protected in foam, is yet another nod at fictional archaeology.
The special-edition Pilot Case that holds this treasure is anodized with faux stickers. The artist tells Artnet News that the vintage logos, splashed in a unique ‘Arsham Green PANTONE’ shade, draw from old Rimowa advertising.
“Rimowa and I share an interest in process, in an object’s evolution over time,” explains Arsham in a statement emailed to DesignTAXI. “A suitcase is covered by stickers or blemishes; a sculpture erodes and crystallizes. We also both share a commitment to honing one’s craft, as well as archiving.”
The Rimowa x Daniel Arsham Pilot Case with Eroded Turntable inside will be available in silver and black options from October 7 in quantities of only 500. The silver edition will be sold for US$3,600 at arshameditions.shop and the Rimowa website, as well as Rimowa locations in Europe, North America, and South America. The black variant will be available exclusively in Asia and on the Rimowa website.
