Packing to travel used to be a serious drag for me. Ialways envied fashionable females fashionistas who managed to look sleek and chic as they stepped off a plane with just one piece of luggage. They were experts in the art of traveling light; theyknew exactly what to pack, and how to pack it. I call them packistas.But I never felt that I could be one of them.
Then how come I recently returned from a trip toPanama and couldn’t wait to start preparing for my next voyage? And how come I finally felt like a proper packista?
Because now Ihave luggage by Barbara Barry. The world-renowned California designer of interiors and home furnishings recently became a Dogster when shewelcomed a Dachshund named Oliver to share herluxe life of style. And Oliver the Dachshund inspired Barry to think like a Dogster while creating the luggage that transformed me from schlumpy traveler to styling packista.
Barry has always been one of my favorite designers, but now I appreciatehertalent more than ever. The new “Pirouette” collectionshe designed for luggage giant Hartmannis, as its tagline promises,made for the Woman-On-the-Go.
It’s clad inaglamorous, deep-purple fabric that’s neither girly nor manly. Even the collection’s title sums up the way modern Lady Dogsters want to appear while traveling. In short, like ballerinas: not fussy and frilly in pink tutus, but graceful under pressure, with athletic endurance and excellent timing.
The luggage’s elegant pale-purple lining coordinates stylishly with the deep-purple exterior and makes it easy to find what you’ve packed. Clear vinyl pouches that close with Velcro make finding small, delicate items even easier. In fact, openingthis suitcase is like opening a jewel box full of treats. Isn’t that howyou want to feel whenyou arrive at your destination, tired but ready for adventure? As if someone made a care package just for youto unwrap when you needed it most?
But the best thing about Barry’s new luggage collection is a nifty item called the Pet-A-Porter, a glam pet carrierthat’s perfectly sized and fabricated tohouse a carry-on K9 in comfort and style. Plus, for those times when you don’t necessarily want to draw attention to the fact that your traveling companion is a dog (even if she’s atraffic-stopper like the gorgeous Cavalier in the photo above),the Pet-A-Porter is delightfully discreet. It looks more like a handsome tote than a conventional dog carrier.
It’s high time that a stylish luggage company thought to include ajet-setting petcarrier in a glamorous collection of travel gear. Like the rest of the Pirouette collection, the Pet-A-Porter is equal parts fabulous and functional.
What’s your favorite carry-on carrierfor transportinga small dog? Please share in the comments!
