Designing movement: RIMOWA Vitra 2025
Interview with Christian Grosen, Chief Design Officer at Vitra
Two icons united by a single vision: German luggage manufacturer RIMOWA and Vitra have developed two products for the RIMOWA Vitra 2025 collaboration, the Aluminium Stool and the Aluminium Toolbox. Both products are manufactured by RIMOWA in Cologne and Vitra in Weil am Rhein and are available in limited quantities. In an interview with design journalist Jasmin Jouhar, Christian Grosen, Chief Design Officer at Vitra, explains why the two brands are such a good fit and what impressed him the most during the design process.
Jasmin Jouhar: For the collaboration with RIMOWA, you paid a visit to the suitcase production facility in Cologne. Can you share some highlights?
Christian Grosen: To be honest, I didn't exactly know how a suitcase is made. I was amazed at how much technical skill and craftsmanship goes into the process – and how much knowledge of aluminium as a material. It is astonishingly complex to make a good suitcase. I remember an employee at the factory checking to see if the aluminium shells might be warped. He could tell by the sound it made when he carefully tapped it with a hammer! He then straightened the suitcase with a few targeted knocks. It was obvious that he has been doing this for many years and knows exactly how a perfect aluminium object should sound. That really impressed me.
Christian Grosen: To be honest, I didn't exactly know how a suitcase is made. I was amazed at how much technical skill and craftsmanship goes into the process – and how much knowledge of aluminium as a material. It is astonishingly complex to make a good suitcase. I remember an employee at the factory checking to see if the aluminium shells might be warped. He could tell by the sound it made when he carefully tapped it with a hammer! He then straightened the suitcase with a few targeted knocks. It was obvious that he has been doing this for many years and knows exactly how a perfect aluminium object should sound. That really impressed me.
How did the collaboration between Vitra and RIMOWA come about in the first place?
Before the RIMOWA Vitra 2025 collaboration, the Vitra Design Museum and RIMOWA already had a connection through the RIMOWA DESIGN PRIZE. Mateo Kries, Vitra Design Museum Director, was a member of the jury in 2023, followed by Susanne Graner, Vitra Design Museum Head of Collection & Archive in 2024.
Vitra and RIMOWA share a common design philosophy: innovation, functionality and durability are at the heart of both brands. This collaboration was born out of the desire to create solutions for a generation whose daily lives are shaped by a demand for flexibility, mobility and quality. As the boundaries between work, home and travel increasingly blur, Vitra and RIMOWA have responded with designs that are perfectly attuned to this modern hybrid lifestyle. The result: timeless, functional and stylish products adapted to the needs of a mobile society.
This partnership sparked the launch of the Aluminium Stool and the Aluminium Toolbox. Why these two particular products?
Because they reflect the culture of both brands: travel for RIMOWA and mobile living and working for Vitra. The Aluminium Stool is a striking hybrid object that combines elements of luggage and furniture. It is almost a typology of its own. While the cube format might not be so practical for a suitcase, it's ideal for sitting and storage. The Toolbox, in turn, is an iconic product developed by the French designer Arik Levy together with Vitra in 2010, which we have now reimagined with RIMOWA's signature grooved aluminium. This makes it sturdier than the standard plastic version – and the use of metal and a high-quality fabric lining gives it a more exclusive look and feel.
Before the RIMOWA Vitra 2025 collaboration, the Vitra Design Museum and RIMOWA already had a connection through the RIMOWA DESIGN PRIZE. Mateo Kries, Vitra Design Museum Director, was a member of the jury in 2023, followed by Susanne Graner, Vitra Design Museum Head of Collection & Archive in 2024.
Vitra and RIMOWA share a common design philosophy: innovation, functionality and durability are at the heart of both brands. This collaboration was born out of the desire to create solutions for a generation whose daily lives are shaped by a demand for flexibility, mobility and quality. As the boundaries between work, home and travel increasingly blur, Vitra and RIMOWA have responded with designs that are perfectly attuned to this modern hybrid lifestyle. The result: timeless, functional and stylish products adapted to the needs of a mobile society.
This partnership sparked the launch of the Aluminium Stool and the Aluminium Toolbox. Why these two particular products?
Because they reflect the culture of both brands: travel for RIMOWA and mobile living and working for Vitra. The Aluminium Stool is a striking hybrid object that combines elements of luggage and furniture. It is almost a typology of its own. While the cube format might not be so practical for a suitcase, it's ideal for sitting and storage. The Toolbox, in turn, is an iconic product developed by the French designer Arik Levy together with Vitra in 2010, which we have now reimagined with RIMOWA's signature grooved aluminium. This makes it sturdier than the standard plastic version – and the use of metal and a high-quality fabric lining gives it a more exclusive look and feel.
‘I like the fact that the Aluminium Stool seems a bit mysterious.’
Christian Grosen
What distinguishes the Aluminium Stool from a suitcase?
During the design process, we decided to leave out the handles so that the stool wouldn't closely resemble a trolley or a transport container. There is a seat cushion and the inside is also padded; we deliberately left the wheels, as they are emblematic of both furniture and suitcases. The Multiwheel system is a RIMOWA trademark, as are the grooves in the aluminium. The castors also emphasise the idea of mobility, of being on the move.
During the design process, we decided to leave out the handles so that the stool wouldn't closely resemble a trolley or a transport container. There is a seat cushion and the inside is also padded; we deliberately left the wheels, as they are emblematic of both furniture and suitcases. The Multiwheel system is a RIMOWA trademark, as are the grooves in the aluminium. The castors also emphasise the idea of mobility, of being on the move.
To which types of spaces or situations is the Aluminium Stool best suited?
We gave this a lot of thought during the design process. For us, it is before everything a product for the home – even if it obviously contains inspiration from offices and workplaces. Our first idea was a small container for the home office that could store a laptop, papers and pens. But the Aluminium Stool is adaptable, you can also use it to store records, magazines and electronics. And it's a handy tool for the living room, bedroom or even the bathroom. I like the fact that it seems a bit mysterious. You can see that it can be opened, but you don't know what's inside.
We gave this a lot of thought during the design process. For us, it is before everything a product for the home – even if it obviously contains inspiration from offices and workplaces. Our first idea was a small container for the home office that could store a laptop, papers and pens. But the Aluminium Stool is adaptable, you can also use it to store records, magazines and electronics. And it's a handy tool for the living room, bedroom or even the bathroom. I like the fact that it seems a bit mysterious. You can see that it can be opened, but you don't know what's inside.
Publication date: 12.06.2025
Author: Jasmin Jouhar
Images: © RIMOWA Vitra 2025
