There’s a distinct line between ‘premium’ and ‘affordable’ that crowdfunding platforms are blurring. Design and innovation have become democratized enough so that good design or a quality product doesn’t necessarily mean expensive, luxurious, or premium anymore. Whether it’s a fine timepiece (we’ve seen so many of them in the past two years), or titanium stationery designed to last a lifetime, or even luggage that’s designed from the ground up, made to look spectacular and provide a positive user experience, crowdfunding has shown that you don’t need expensive brands to own beautiful products. Monos furthers the case that good design can be easily accessible without brand markups or ‘luxury taxes’. Designed and developed to look and feel incredible, the Monos bags focuses purely on quality and ease of use, with a design that reflects the strength and minimalism that one would associate with brands like Rimowa (with a sense of perfectionism that one could say is almost Apple-esque), with carefully selected color palettes, materials, and design details to truly make the bag look top-notch. Monos comes in three sizes. Two cabin-friendly variants (a regular and a plus) with enough space for as much as a 7-day getaway, and a check-in version that’s big enough to store a week’s worth of luggage. Each hard-case bag is made from impact-resistant polycarbonate and comes with a high-grade aluminum telescopic handles that slide into the bag’s form. The bag comes with sleek YKK zippers with Italian vegetable-tanned Vacchetta leather trims at the end and a TSA-approved lock, to give the bag a design that looks uplifting and a quality/performance to match. Even the interiors come lined with a soft, waterproof, anti-microbial fabric lining to keep your clothes looking, smelling, and feeling fresh on the inside, while the minimal, polycarbonate body gives you a carrying case that grabs eyes with a smart, sophisticated design on the outside! Designer: Hubert Chan . Monos is a premium, minimalist luggage, using only the finest quality materials and components. All at a fair price. “We started by slowing down to mindfully look around us. We studied the ripples in water when it rained. We observed the color gradations in the sky when the sun rose and set each day. And in all these moments, we found a common visual rhythm. We distilled and refined this rhythm into the minimalist, asymmetric progression of lines that would become our luggage’s signature design,” Hubert Chan, designer of Monos told Yanko Design. “For us, the lines signify change, in all its forms. Travel – and life – changes us. We embrace the fact that nothing can stay the same forever. Our studio’s name (Monos), after all, comes from the Japanese concept of – the profound appreciation of the impermanent,” said the design studio. Weighing in at only 6.9 lb, 7.1 lb, and 10 lb, the Monos Carry-On, Carry-On Plus, and Check-In are exceptionally light. They built their cases with ultra-light, aerospace-grade polycarbonate, and stripped out all the unneeded junk. Texturized and powder-coated, their matte finish shell is scratch-resistant. The German-made Makrolon polycarbonate in their luggage isn’t just harder and stronger than your average suitcase’s ABS plastic – it’s nearly impossible to break and it easily bounces back into its original shape. Instead of cheap cast zinc resulting in those flimsy, wobbly handles, Monos used only high-grade aluminum for their tubes. And rather than the usual parallel configuration, they custom-designed the entire assembly to set their telescoping tube at opposing 45 degree angles, which greatly reduces lateral motion and makes the whole handle more solid and sturdy. As for the handle release button, rather than maneuvering your thumb on the top of the handle where the button is usually found, they found that it actually feels better to squeeze from the bottom. They re-engineered the button and hid it underneath, resulting in a clean, uncluttered handle that’s also more natural to use. At a mere 54 decibels, these Silent Run wheels would make a ninja envious. Other Hinomoto wheels are already quiet, but this is a grade above. Zippers look better with their teeth hidden. Every Monos suitcase sports color-coordinated YKK reverse coil zippers, chosen for their sleek look and unequalled reliability. Their interior lining and the included laundry and shoe bags all use a soft, waterproof, and anti-microbial fabric with subtle pattern detailing. The sized pockets in their side flap keep your small items together and free to be laid on top of, or between your clothes. Ballistic nylon compression straps keep your clothes compact, while being more forgiving of hard items than bulky compression pads. Features include: Carry-On Interior, Check-In Interior,