How A Suitcase Propelled Steph Korey And Jen Rubio To Stardom

Steph Korey and Jen Rubio started at Warby Parker on the same day, so when the idea for a direct-to-consumer luggage company came about, it was only a matter of time before the pair revolutionised the luxury travel industry.

Much like Warby Parker’s direct-to-consumer eyewear brand (the company became the first to sell affordable glasses online), Korey and Rubio’s company, Away, undercuts the luxury luggage market. Designing suitcases with the same double spinner wheels and German polycarbonate shells of premium $700 suitcases, the company’s markup from production cost is only slight and includes a lifetime guarantee. After interviewing 800 frequent flyers before manufacturing, the founders settled on a US$225 suitcase with a patented compression system and built-in USB charger, contributing to first year sales exceeding US$12 million.