Strandbags launches 'fashion travel' brand Nere in UK, US

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Jun 8, 2023

Hot on the heels of Strandbags relaunching its British upscale luggage brand Antler, the company is also investing heavily in another key luggage brand it owns, with the launch of Nere in the UK and US following its Australia and New Zealand debut last year.

The Australian ‘fashion travel’ brand was created “with the simple vision of making travel more fashionable, affordable and fun”, we’re told.

But while it’s “affordable” and pitched at a more price-conscious traveller than Antler (and other upmarket luggage brands like LVMH’s Rimowa), it’s certainly not set at budget level with UK prices starting from £119.

Available via its webstore, it’s all about giving a fashion spin to a category not known for such an edge.

It offers a range of suitcases, travel bags and accessories “for the style-conscious traveller who is seeking well designed high-quality travel products, at the best price”.

It launched last July in ANZ and saw 45 million unit sales in seven months with the company saying it “quickly outpaced all other well-known travel brands”. It’s also targeting sales of 85 million in the current financial year (FY24).

The brand has a huge opportunity in both of its new markets. In Britain, for instance, a huge percentage of people have booked travel this year and most are going abroad. 

Nere has already discovered that it can carve out a big market share in ANZ by targeting such travellers.

Group CEO Felicity McGahan said: “When Nere launched we saw the opportunity to reimagine the fashion travel category. It’s the perfect hybrid of taking all the colour trends from the global runways and blending it with everything we know about how to travel. We’ve created a brand that will inspire travel near and far through the seamless combination of fashion and function, at an accessible price point.” 

What that means in practice for the UK includes the star Stori case in runway-inspired colours; Wonda, which is “sleek and sturdy in pared-back neutrals”; Caype in a softer colour palette with rose gold accents; Relm, the largest volume hard case in “rich metallics”; and Edit, the soft case offering and “lightest suitcase yet”. 

Within these are luggage and accessories including suitcases, mini cases and vanities, tote bags and duffle bags, and luggage tags, straps and packing cubes. Newness across the colour palette, product upgrades and “a continued effort to inject sustainable features will flow through the ranges continuously”.