Dubbel Duffel for Opening Ceremony

Get three bags in one with this masterfully relaunched luggage line

18 January 2012

After coming across a bag by a defunct ’70s company in a Brooklyn vintage store, accessories designer China Young set out to reengineer the Dubbel Duffel‘s multipurpose charm to high fashion and quality standards. Delving into the history, Young found 1970s- and ’80s-era comic ads and a cheeky character that informs the retro spirit of the current line. Keeping the styling and dual-use functionality consistent with the original, he improved the materials and construction to create a roomy, unisex travel solution. The high-contrast colorways and customizable features make for a new classic carryall that’s both utilitarian and fun. The sharp eyes at Opening Ceremony snatched up the Dubbel Duffel for an exclusive limited run—there are only 30 in each color in each size—launching today.

Dubbel Duffel is designed as a travel bag that unzips to double its carrying capacity. The zipped-together duffel has dual-compartment interior storage for keeping items separate, saving work gear from contact with soiled gym clothes, for one. Opening the zipper to expand the bag allows travelers flexible storage in the event they return with more items than when they left.

The oversized handles are reinforced with logo-bearing rivets to enable over-the-shoulder carrying, and the nylon strap can be used messenger-style or, on the medium size, looped to carry as a backpack. Literally doubling in size when expanded, Dubbel Duffel packs a variety of uses for the demands of daily life.

Young’s background in accessory and luggage design has made him an expert on portage, and this line marks the intersection of his experience and personal passion when it comes to constructing smart, stylish bags. Having worked for international brands like Gap and Old Navy, Young’s own personality shines through in Dubbel Duffel. His experience with luggage companies like LeSportSac informs the line’s use of top shelf materials that hold up over time.

Meeting with factories and pattern makers, Young developed a custom twill nylon that reflects the highest quality materials currently available. The water-resistant nylon twill is soft and pliable, yet burly enough to withstand the beatings of a hectic travel schedule, and because of its superior construction, doesn’t require the common polyurethane lining. The reversible, self-repairing zippers are made to suitcase quality standards, backing contrast color pops with heavy-duty performance.

The Opening Ceremony line debuts with two sizes and four color combinations in each size—the medium serves as a duffel, messenger or backpack, and the large morphs from duffel to messenger-style sling. Each bag comes equipped with a removable, dual-sided interior pouch for organizing essential items.

At its core, the Dubbel Duffel stays true to its cheerful, ’70s-era design origins with bright bags suitable for men and women. Young kept the logo and sassy and accurate tagline, “Twice the bag you think it is.” The colors make for a nostalgic throwback, retrofitted 35 years later with the materials and functional considerations of a more mature generation.