Hurtling through the largely unexplored universe at light-speed might seem like a distant concept now, but hey, that’s what people thought about airplanes too. Hundreds of people cruising through the air, 40,000 feet above sea level, the amount of power it must take to lift off what’s essentially a huge metal box, making sure it’s light but sturdy enough against wind resistance and other unforgiving elements. Behold, the technological marvel that’s the modern airplane. You have to feel a bit bad the next time you’re complaining about your in-flight entertainment system.
Speaking about marvels though, here are two inventions that changed the aviation industry for good. One, the revolutionary Junkers F13, developed in Germany and the world’s first all-metal passenger aircraft, obviously changing the way planes are made since it took to the skies in 1919; and secondly, the not-so-humble RIMOWA suitcase, quite a feat as it’s the first metal suitcase with grooves made out of Duralumin, the same aluminum alloy used to craft that Junkers plane. Yep, the exact sturdy metal that keeps a plane intact while in the air. Sign us up already.
It’s this uncanny entwining of narratives that inspired the, also, German luggage brand to pay tribute to the original 1920s Junker F13 planes, teaming up with Swiss airline company JU-Air to create their own RIMOWA F13 that’s due to take its maiden flight soon.
But while we can’t all bear witness to that over at Switzerland, the premium luggage brand has managed to snag an impressive 20-feet by 11-feet plane replica that touched down outside their newly-relocated Mandarin Gallery duplex.
The boutique then extends this RIMOWA F13 experience with an interactive projection that shares just how marvellous the modern engineering feat is. At the same time, you’ll be able to admire authentic vintage suitcases, as well as see local artist Candice Phang’s retro illustrations on top of six RIMOWA Topas Cabin Multiwheel bags, which would definitely stand out on the mundane luggage belt. We can get on board with that.
RIMOWA F13 Experience at the Mandarin Gallery store, #01-11, till 28 August 2016. Replica of the RIMOWA F13 outside the store, only till 31 July 2016. rimowa.com
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