Away

Here's the thing about Away-they basically took one of the most boring product categories imaginable and made it cool. Like, actually cool. Not "your dad's golf clubs" cool, but Instagram-worthy, celebrity-endorsed, venture-capital-darling cool.

The company launched back in 2016 with a simple idea: what if luggage didn't suck? Two former Warby Parker executives, Jen Rubio and Steph Korey, looked at the luggage industry and saw an opportunity. Traditional brands were selling overpriced, clunky suitcases that felt like they were designed in 1985. Away came in with sleek polycarbonate shells, built-in USB chargers, and a direct-to-consumer model that cut out the middleman markup.

And people went nuts for it. Within just a couple years, they'd raised over $200 million in funding-making them one of the highest-funded woman-backed startups ever. That's not nothing when you're selling suitcases.

But here's what really set them apart: the marketing. Away didn't just sell luggage; they sold wanderlust. Their Instagram became this aspirational feed of gorgeous travel destinations with their signature suitcases casually positioned in the frame. User-generated content exploded. Suddenly everyone from Karlie Kloss to Dwyane Wade was rolling through airports with those distinctive hard-shell cases. The brand even launched a travel magazine called "Here" and a podcast called "Airplane Mode" because why not lean all the way into the lifestyle angle?

The products themselves are pretty solid. The signature carry-on features 360-degree spinner wheels, a TSA-approved lock, interior compression system, and that removable battery pack (though airlines have gotten pickier about those). Everything's covered by a limited lifetime warranty for functional damage-broken wheels, cracked shells, busted handles. And they offer a 100-day trial period, which is basically unheard of for luggage.

They've expanded way beyond that original carry-on now. There's the Bigger Carry-On, The Medium, The Large, The Trunk, plus a whole Softside collection for people who prefer fabric over hard shells. They've got bags, packing cubes, tech organizers-basically everything you need to look put-together while traveling.

The direct-to-consumer model means you're buying straight from Away's website or one of their 17 retail stores scattered across the US, UK, and Canada. No department store markup. Prices range from around $225 for a carry-on to $500+ for larger checked bags. Not cheap, but positioned smartly between budget brands and luxury names like Rimowa or Tumi.

What's interesting is how Away has become almost synonymous with a certain type of millennial traveler-the kind who color-coordinates their packing cubes and posts airport outfit pics. Some people find that aspirational. Others find it a bit much. But you can't deny they've carved out a distinctive identity in a category that desperately needed one.