At the 54th Paris Air Show, and more recently at the EBACE (European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition) in Geneva, Stéphane Trento, founder of the French high-tech luggage company ST Luxury, presented the first connected cabin baggage. A modern, tailor-made modular bag with a unique concept, specially designed for business travelers and owners of private jets and yachts.
ST Luxury's contemporary ST 001 luggage benefits from innovative ideas and unique interconnected technology, shaped according to the rules of luggage art, referencing the world of aviation and revisiting the standards of business luggage at a time when private flights are experiencing unprecedented growth.
Design inspired by glorious moments in aviation history
The lines of the ST Luxury luggage are inspired by airplane wings, with the elegant curves of the upper corners softening the geometry. A rounded-shouldered build combines strength and sophistication for a resolutely refined and unisex style. The silhouette also recalls the look of "galleys," modular furniture containing on-board equipment, suitcases, and kitchen units.
Many visual details recall the world of aviation: the visible rivets are inspired by those that fix the fuselage, with four raised handles, in the "gas control" style of a four-engine aircraft, like those in the cockpit, with 90-degree rotation.
Designed by Lola Trento, ST Luxury's Voltige monogram, a biplane graphic revolving around the STL logo, is a clear display of the vintage map's appeal, paying homage to the Aéropostale adventure. Finally, the ST 001 luggage is the ultimate reference to this epic journey, protected by a sturdy burlap canvas reminiscent of the mail bags that crossed the oceans at the time.
Exceptional materials for custom-made pieces
The ST 001 suitcase features a carbon fiber structure, a material STComposites specializes in. Carbon fiber is used not only in aviation, but also in cars, particularly in racing, and even in high-performance bicycles, with the advantage of being three times stronger than aluminum while being 40% lighter. An essential asset for luggage.
Continuing the research and development work begun two years ago, ST Luxury is working to enrich its list of materials with reinforcing resins and bio-sourced varnishes.
Next, master craftsmen upholster the suitcase in leather or Voltige's signature canvas woven from ultra-durable corn fibers and recycled plastic bottles. They also add Lozines (highly durable pieces of vulcanized cellulose fiber that protect the edges and corners of the luggage) that are riveted to the carbon structure using a unique ST Luxury technique.
On-board technology for high-security baggage
The ST 001 cabin trunk incorporates avionics intelligence into every aspect of its design: a constant sense of security, "autopilot" style. Opening is controlled by a biometric sensor, guaranteeing personal access to its contents. The "throttle" style handle is equipped with an electronic micro-motor, which can pull the telescopic handle, and its length can be adjusted and saved according to the shape of the owner's waist.
Like the landing gear that moves in and out of the hatch during takeoff and landing, the suitcase's four wheels are motorized and retract on demand to perfectly stabilize the luggage.
All of these features can be hidden and locked via a smartphone app, providing additional protection against theft. Additionally, if the ST 001 suitcase is stolen or attempted to be burglarized, the app immediately alerts the owner, while the luggage emits a flashing light and an audible alarm, making it easier to identify the thief.
Designed for customers who may be carrying valuables or confidential documents, the ST 001 suitcase is also equipped with a new-generation tracking system. The sensor is connected not only to a satellite geolocation system, but also to conventional radio and telephone networks to avoid telecommunications "dead zones."
Finally, a tracking chip is inserted into the composite material during the manufacture of the cabin trunk: it is undetectable and irremovable since it is entirely inserted into the material, it contains all the information proving its authenticity and its "identity book" throughout its life. In addition to the possibility of finding your belongings, it is also a link in an effective chain to fight against fraud and counterfeiting.
Modular hybrid luggage for home use
The ST 001 luggage symbolizes the new art of traveling in the most luxurious conditions, whether by private jet or first class on a scheduled airline, but it also invites you to travel "still." It is a hybrid object that can be transformed into a designer piece, displayed and used at home, in particular thanks to the modularity of its retractable wheels, it can be combined with other travel items from the STL by ST Luxury luxury collection: caviar trunks, champagne trunks, cigar humidors, vanity cases or watch boxes.
ST Luxury, a new vision of luggage manufacturing
Born in 2021 from the vision of its founder Stéphane Trento, ST Luxury, a cross between a start-up and a manufacturer, offers specific luggage to owners and users of private jets.
Stéphane Trento, an engineer and business leader from Toulouse, is taking a stand against the global aviation crisis to protect employees from the sharp decline in activity at his company, ST Composites, which specializes in the design and manufacture of aircraft components.
Guided by his intuition and expertise in the aeronautics market, Stéphane Trento pulled a project he'd conceived 15 years ago out of a drawer... a suitcase inspired by the layout of an airplane cabin. He then transformed his company ST Composites into an incubator, giving birth to ST Luxury SAS.
After two years of research and development in aeronautical materials and technologies, coupled with the highest techniques in leather goods and luggage manufacturing, in 2023 it presents the ST 001 by STLuxury luggage, the quintessence of cabin luggage dedicated to jet travel.
Business aviation, an industry in full recovery and dynamic growth
Marked by two years of the global Covid-19 crisis, the private jet market has reached unprecedented levels since 2022. According to a May 2023 report* from the Institute for Policy Studies, nearly 5,3 million private flights were taken worldwide last year, and the jet market is worth $34,1 billion. This means that more than 640 jets were sold worldwide. Europe and the United States alone are home to 77% of the global private jet fleet**.
EBACE Geneva, the global meeting place for private aviation
Dedicated to business aviation, EBACE Geneva brings together the biggest players in this cutting-edge sector, welcoming 13 visitors and more than 000 exhibitors from around the world in 400. In a highly competitive sector, where the average value of a jet is 2022 million euros, the French company ST Luxury has chosen to support private jet customers by offering them luggage worthy of the luxury of a jet, born from the fusion of aeronautical technology and the luggage and leather goods expertise of trunk makers.
ST Luxury is the laboratory and melting pot of transmissions, dedicated to luxury aviation. A perfect balance between the expertise of these two industries, where France is a world leader, its cabin trunk signifies a new art of hassle-free travel.
André Tirlet
*Source : https://ips-dc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/High-Flyers-2023-Report.pdf
**Source : https://www.privatefly.fr/art-de-vivre/l-aviation-privee-aux-etats-unis-et-en-europe
