You could say that there are worse places to appear as a luxury brand than in the opulent hotel room of Logan Roy, one of the central characters in the Emmy award-winning HBO series Succession. Or at the reception desk of a five-star Sicilian resort in the no less hyped production The White Lotus. The fact that Carl Friedrik luggage and accessories appear in such culturally influential series formats is hardly a coincidence: the British brand has developed a clear design language over the years and consistently refined its approach in terms of material and function—a philosophy that has contributed significantly to brand awareness and explains why the products now naturally appear in visual worlds associated with »Quiet Luxury«. We spoke to Niklas Oppermann, who founded the brand together with his brother Mattis, about the unifying design principles of the product portfolio, the priority of functional considerations and why Carl Friedrik deliberately positions itself beyond fashion cycles.
Series such as Succession or The White Lotus pick up on the cultural zeitgeist, so it was of course great to be associated with them, Niklas Oppermann emphasizes the enormous value of this organically created product presence in our interview. By »cultural zeitgeist«, he is probably referring not least to the »Quiet Luxury« trend that has shaped fashion in recent years and has been additionally fueled by the influential series formats mentioned above—a style world that probably needs no further explanation at this point. Nevertheless, one could be forgiven for thinking that this omnipresent trend is more of a belated compliment for quality brands such as Carl Friedrik,whose designs do not see restraint as a reaction, but rather as a creative starting point from the very beginning.
Carl Friedrik was founded in London in 2013—from the very beginning with a clear mission: to create products that have more in common with industrial design than with fashion. With no overbearing logos, no seasons, no exuberant design language. Instead: clear lines, restrained proportions, durable materials, the highest standards of function and quality. The initial idea for founding the brand was pragmatically motivated: a functional, aesthetically reduced laptop case that did not exist on the market.
A turning point in the company’s history was the launch of the luggage line in 2019. Since then, Carl Friedrik has evolved from an accessories provider to a modular luxury travel brand with an ever-growing reputation. The portfolio now consists of accessories, bags and suitcases – the products do not follow trends or seasons, but a design principle: high-quality materials, technical consistency, visual restraint.
In our interview, Niklas Oppermann talks about design and product development, formal coherence, strategic cooperation—and the challenge of credibly occupying a term like »tradition« as a still relatively young brand. What becomes clear: Carl Friedrik does not operate with or against the zeitgeist, but independently of it.
Chapter You have said that your designs are timeless and classic and based more on tradition than trends. Yet Carl Friedrik itself is a relatively young brand. In this context, what does »tradition« mean to you? Is it about manufacturing methods, material longevity or cultural references?
Niklas Oppermann I worked in an auction house as a teenager, so I’ve always appreciated older products. To us, »timeless design« means producing goods that truly last, in contrast to contemporary products that are generally of inferior quality and don’t stand the test of time. Take the leather briefcases in our Heritage Collection, which are handcrafted by skilled artisans with premium hardware and fine vachetta leather. This combination of quality materials and craftsmanship culminates in truly long-lasting bags.
Chapter Which specific design elements, be it hardware, proportions or color palette, best manifest Carl Friedrik’s design philosophy?
Niklas Oppermann Hardware is an interesting example as it’s often overlooked. Make no mistake, hardware is integral to the construction of a premium bag. And it’s important not only from a functional perspective. The weighty, robust feel that the user experiences encourages them to equate the bag with quality. Designing premium bags or luggage hinges on the fine details—stitching, proportions, hardware. Our approach to color is to prioritise understated, classic tones that our customers can return to time and time again. We’ll intrinsically favor a chestnut brown over a bold seasonal or trend-led color. We want our products to remain in vogue through their timeless appeal.
Chapter The launch of your luggage line in 2019 marked a shift in the brand’s strategy. What defines your criteria when entering a new category and how do you ensure brand coherence?
Niklas Oppermann Luggage felt like a natural evolution for the brand, as we were already catering to the on-the-go professionals at the time with our work and leisure bags. However, the focus has certainly shifted to being travel-first since debuting luggage and seeing the strong response from customers. The key questions for us were: can we continue to improve how customers get from A to B, even with longer, potentially more arduous journeys in mind? And can the new collection continue to meet our standards around product longevity? The latter point was a unique challenge because luggage naturally experiences more wear and tear.
To your second question: adopting a shared visual language is one way we ensure coherence across categories. When releasing the Hybrid Collection in 2019, we decided all silhouettes would feature a strip of premium leather detailing, an overt nod to our existing Italian leather bags and accessories. Cross-category functionality plays its part too. We want customers to build eco-systems of travel goods. For example, most bags feature integrated luggage holders that slot seamlessly onto the handles of our hard-shell suitcases. Reinforcing the idea that our products work seamlessly together.
Chapter In recent years, Carl Friedrik has entered into high-profile collaborations—e.g. With Hackett London and Williams Racing. What made you decide to move into collaborations at this stage of brand development and how do you ensure that each partnership complements Carl Friedrik’s core design language and brand identity?
Niklas Oppermann Opportunities to partner with admirable brands have certainly opened up as we’ve grown in size. Collaborations offer the dual benefit of getting your product in front of new customers and reinforcing brand perception with your existing customer base. We’ve tried to collaborate with partners that mirror our philosophy or values. Hackett London, for example, shares our admiration for sartorial style calibrated to contemporary living. The team at Atlassian Williams Racing has a passion for movement and precision engineering, as do we. Ultimately, we’ve found that partners have chosen to work with us because they appreciate our understated, timeless aesthetic. Of course, there is some give and take in the design process, but there are core design principles we can’t look beyond.
Chapter Several of your products—such as The Carry-On, prominently featured in HBO’s Succession, and the Palissy Briefcase seen in The White Lotus—have surfaced in culturally influential television series that are often regarded as defining visual touchstones of the »Quiet Luxury« aesthetic. How intentionally do you seek such screen visibility, and to what extent do you believe such implicit storytelling influences brand perception and desirability?
Niklas Oppermann The inclusions in Succession and The White Lotus came about organically, which is fantastic as it highlighted a growing brand awareness at the time. Both shows tapped into the cultural zeitgeist, so it was brilliant to be associated with them. We received strong press coverage of the back of the inclusions and were able to launch a few well-received marketing campaigns. Ultimately, we’re all shaped by what we consume. The »Quiet Luxury« movement had its moment in the sun and influenced plenty of purchasing and even lifestyle decisions. [TS]
