If you’re clued into this stuff like I am, you have seen Paravel in just about every airport you’ve been in over the past decade. Those beach totes, that bright nylon duffel bag, or those plastic suitcases with the faux leather handles. But in May of last year, the site went down out of the blue, and Paravel filed for Chapter 7.
Outlets like The Strategist covered the liquidation sale, and brand fans (my mother being one of them) made sure to stock up in case this was the last we’d ever see of Paravel. But business this big usually gets another life. The Paravel intellectual property was acquired by the ATR Group, a British company known for owning the luggage brand Antler, by August.
It appeared this phoenix would, indeed, rise from the ashes. We made jokes about it in the Esquire office, expecting a stale remake of the luggage we already knew. But, when the new Paravel site went live on October 8, we actually—maybe not against all odds, but against what we expected—really loved the new look.
If you were looking for those thin, bright-colored nylon duffels, you’re out of luck. The new Paravel goes more muted, aiming at a more luxury look. It’s not a full-on facelift—you can see the old shape in the new suitcases, and there’s still a sustainability mission statement—but it’s enough to get our attention.
Its new look is inspired by coastal New England; thank God the marketing doesn’t say old money, but that’s what the look is going for. There are four core colors: Nantucket cream, Newport red, Bar Harbor navy, and Mystic black. It’s a far cry from the Canyon yellow and Bebop red of the old era.
It’s classy and cohesive, more than most direct-to-consumer luggage brands can claim. Starting with the familiar, Paravel’s new collection includes a new edition of the classic Aviator suitcase known for its vintage look, vegan leather trims, and carbon-neutral creation. The upgraded Aviator suitcases have a refined ribbed exterior (made to look like the deck of a classic yacht, no less) and are made from recycled polycarbonate and other recycled materials.
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