Briggs & Riley Unpacks Outdoor Luggage Line

Briggs & Riley Travelware is launching a new outdoor line of luggage called BRX. The products are expected to hit stores in the early spring.

The pieces are priced from $40 to $320, and are geared toward the “adventure market.” That’s a new segment for the Hauppauge, N.Y. manufacturer, which is known for its two signature collections: Baseline, a premium line designed for frequent travelers; and Transcend, a lower priced line, which targets leisure users.

“The outdoor line is new for us but targets a similar demographic, in this case, upper-end customers demanding of performance, styling and design in outdoor products,” said Richard Krulik, CEO of Briggs & Riley.

In late December, the company changed its distribution strategy. Briggs & Riley said it signed an agreement to sell its products in Bloomingdale’s, the first presence in a department store for a manufacturer with a long-standing association with specialty travel shops. The retailer will feature Briggs & Riley brand in its flagship 59th Street location in New York City, as well as its San Francisco store. This year, Briggs & Riley will also be available at Bloomingdales.com.

“We’ve been more closely aligned with specialty travel channels and over the years have been looking at the expansion of our brand,” said Krulik. “Bloomingdale’s is one of the first we’ve considered—it is very consistent with our brand, but we are looking at others that have similar values to our company and offer the support we’re looking for.”