Valextra Moments

1937 - The Birth of Valextra

Giovanni Fontana launched Valextra in Piazza San Babila, capturing the Milanese spirit in timeless leather goods. Observing life from the atelier's windows, he crafted pieces that resonate with enduring elegance.

1939 - Prelude: The Inspiration Begins

Fontana, inspired by his travels to London and Paris, created the "Prelude" bag, drawing on global styles and functional design from his journeys.

1942 - The Extra-Value Concept

Keen observation of people’s evolving needs and desires lead to the invention of leather goods with a new refined aesthetic. The name “Vale-extra” refers to the extra-value of every object that emerged from the atelier, a value that goes beyond the standard in craftsmanship, materials, and forms.

1948 - Innovation and Patents

Valextra registered the patent for its rigid suitcase, Valapack. An artisanal invention, it is extremely light and functional, reinforcing Valextra’s tenacious commitment to timeliness. The innovative locking mechanism of the new Bambu Bag is also patented and celebrated as an industrial invention.

1954 - Recognition of Excellence

The Ventiquattro Ore briefcase is awarded the first Compasso d'oro of La Rinascente, an accolade bestowed on the best examples of functional design and refined aesthetics. Valextra is praised by the jury for its inventive brilliance and consistent style and quality.

1958 - The Essence of Simplicity

Clean lines, elegant simplicity: Tallone, a patented coin purse sets the tone for the production of Valextra's small leather goods.

1960 - Avietta: A New Travel Vision

The first travel bag, Avietta, with rounded edges, was created. Its silhouette is inspired by the curved windows of the Via San Babila boutique.

1961-1963 - A Time of Creativity and Challenge

Simplicity and technology combine: the Carita bag encapsulates the spirit of the moment (1961), while the Avietta travel bag challenges convention with its asymmetrical shape and decentered handle.

1963 - AG Fronzoni’s Minimalist Influence

The famous Italian Designer AG Fronzoni is invited to work for Valextra. His first design is the “valigino”, an extremely simplified graphic symbol of a travel bag. Then, he applies the same simplified design approach to the actual object, the luggage: Forma Zero is born.

1968 - The Iconic Tric Trac

Valextra responds to the needs of a society on the move and engineers the Tric Trac: an easy and stylish wrist bag originally intended for the man about town. The bag is so popular that it is soon desired by everyone, becoming an icon of unisex design.

1969 - Expanding Horizons

Japanese retailer Choichiro Motoyama, a connoisseur of the finest European luxury, falls in love with Valextra’s craftsmanship and aesthetics and introduces Valextra to a new audience, paving the way to a long-lasting relationship between the brand and the Far East.

1973 - Premier: A Modern Classic

Valextra designs a modern attaché case, with a die-cast zip running along the perimeter (the same one used for NASA spacesuits). It is named Premier after Aldo Aniasi, the former Mayor of Milan who received it during a visit to Valextra's headquarters.

1979-1987 - Fifty Years of Excellence

In "Quest for the Best," Stanley Marcus highlights Valextra as a coveted brand (1979). Celebrating fifty years, Valextra's Extra delves into its history and the interplay with modern art and design (1987).

1990 - The Innovative Linea K

The Linea K, made of Kevlar material (once used for Formula 1 cars and bulletproof vests), becomes a shining example of how high-luxury and high-technology can combine to desirable effect.

2004 - A New Home on Via Manzoni

The Valextra boutique moves to Via Manzoni 3, an eclectic space that would be reinvented over the years through collaborations with esteemed designers including Martino Gamper, Kengo Kuma, and John Pawson.

2011 - The Birth of an Icon: Iside

The will to create a bag encapsulating the desires of modern women while honouring the codes and values of Valextra results in the Iside. Its charm and versatile silhouette soon turns it into an immediate modern icon.

2013 - A Unique Collaboration for a Noble Cause

Selected by Sir Jonathan Ive and Marc Newson, Valextra produces a unique Pergamena White calf-leather suitcase, featuring a custom-made red tag as well as red inner belt straps in aid of Sotheby’s (RED) Auction.

2016 - Expanding the Valextra Experience

Valextra's London boutique opens at 129 Mount St designed by Philippe Malouin architectural and interiors design practice Post-Office. It is also welcomed in Paris at Galeries Lafayette taking over the French market.

2018 - The Toothpaste Collection: A Creative Journey

The collaboration with designer Bethan Laura Wood leads to the Toothpaste collection, an integral part of Valextra’s Grand Tour that sees Valextra work with artists all over the world.

2019 - Valextra in Tokyo

Shingo Masuda and Katsuhisa Otsubo design Valextra’s pop-up store in Tokyo.

2020 - A New Boutique in Honolulu

Valextra debuts in Honolulu’s Ala Moana Center (the largest open-air mall in the world) with a boutique designed by Betty Ng of Hong Kong-based architecture Studio Collective.

2021

Reinventing the Tric Trac

The Tric Trac gets a makeover and becomes even more contemporary with a long strap that turns it into a crossbody bag.

The New Valextra Concept Store

Italian architect Andrea Tognon imagines the new Valextra concept store: a coherent vision for all Valextra’s boutiques, to breathe Valextra’s inimitable Milanese spirit into all its spaces around the world.

2022

Icons Reimagined

Historic ideas and new dimensions: the Micro Iside and Iside Belt are engineered, expanding the horizons of the Valextra icons.

Crafting the Future

A new artisanal program offers apprentices the opportunity to join Valextra.

Welcome to Casa Valextra

Valextra opens Casa Valextra, where Japanese tradition meets Milanese design legacy. Set in a former two-storey tea house in the centre of Gion, Casa Valextra offers a multi-sensory reconnaissance.

2023

Valextra Opens First Paris Flagship

Quintessential Parisian architecture and Valextra’s engineering expertise come together in the brand’s first Paris flagship on rue Saint-Honoré.

Introducing Milano

Valextra launches the new Milano handbag, carrying the legacy of authentic artistry and elegance of its namesake.

New Horizons

Valextra's expansion into Asia with openings in Taipei and Seoul, enhancing the brand's global presence and embracing new markets.