Stow
Wander-Luxe
Launched in 2013, Stow has been a labour of love for founder Carol Lovell. As a frequent jet-setter herself, Lovell was becoming increasingly frustrated by the lack of travel products, which could serve as both practical and beautiful items. As a result of this, she set out to create Stow's luxury leather accessories, which are technology, style, and travel-friendly.
See what items will be accompanying us on our travels:
Lovell has coined the phrase Wander-Luxe to describe her creations in which traditional notions of opulence and modern sensibilities are beautifully fused.
Each piece is handmade by master craftsman in the Spanish pueblo blanco of Ubrique, one of Europe’s leading centres in the production of luxury leather accessories. Colours are vibrant and contemporary, with bold contrasting Italian goat’s suede linings, chunky gold hardware and Stow’s signature orange zip pull. All pieces contain a tiny leather ‘stowaway’ envelope for keepsakes and mementoes and everything can be personalised with gold foil and embossed initials. Personal messages can be embossed on the back of the ‘stowaway’ envelope.
Designs have a distinct heritage feel and are named after the fearless 19th and 20th centuries explorers that have influenced them. The tiny Jeanne ring box, for example, recalls the dashing Jeanne Baret, the first woman to circumnavigate the world in the 1700s. The Hester jewellery box is named after 18th-century socialite, adventurer and archaeologist, Lady Hester Stanhope. Amelia Edwardes, a famous 19th century Egyptologist and feminist, and archaeologist and diplomat Gertrude Bell, who travelled alone across the Middle East, respectively inspired a larger jewellery case and a slimline jewellery roll.
From magnetic removable ring cushions to a wealth of interior compartments, Stow lends a keen functionality to each item. Informed by the clear plastic, leather trimmed map cases still used by walkers, the see-view travel pouch, for example, makes sure that essentials such as passports and pens can be kept safe but found quickly and is sleek enough to slide into airline seat pockets.
The phone charger and leather case offers a very practical luxury for travel and commuting. The case contains a powerful portable battery which will fully recharge a range of phones and tablets twice, doing away with the need to carry plugs and hunt for sockets and USB ports. With the slim 150g power bank removed, the case doubles as a small clutch, passport cover or coin purse.
The large leather jewellery box contains two removable trinket boxes, both with removable ring cushions, and can also be carried in a hand bag for day-evening jewellery storage as it features a removable ring cushion with space for earrings and a necklace. The inside lid features an elasticised slip for phones, music players and travel power banks.