1970s Pierre Balmain Cabin Travel Shoulder Bag

This shoulder bag was made in France for Pierre Balmain in the 1970s. It is in dark green canvas and polyester, trimmed in brown leather, with brass zip pulls and buckles, multiple zipped compartments and rubber feet at the base. It measures about 30 by 25 by 13 cm. Pierre Balmain opened his couture house in Paris in 1945, and by the 1970s the house's name appeared on a broad range of travel goods.

The 1970s saw couture houses enter the market for luggage and travel bags, alongside traditional trunk makers. Canvas with leather trim offered a lighter, more practical alternative to rigid cases, suited to air travel. Branded travel goods became symbols of a mobile, international lifestyle.

As air travel became more common, the cabin bag became essential: a carry-on that kept documents, valuables and essentials close at hand. Multiple compartments and sturdy construction answered the practical needs of travellers moving between airports and hotels.

The dark green canvas is durable and light, the brown leather trim protects the edges and adds warmth, and the brass fittings give strength and a classic finish. Rubber feet protect the base when the bag is set down. Some fading on the metal records its use.

Vintage designer travel bags are sought for their practicality and period style. This Balmain cabin bag, in very good condition, works today as a weekend bag or carry-on.