4. “Whenever I travel I take a bottle of my Shirt Shampoo. I like to be self-sufficient when I am under way. Good shoes are important and for a long trip, at least a second pair is highly recommended. Intelligent luggage is essential today since the ‘self-service’ (or better said, ‘no service’) culture has penetrated into even the more exclusive modes of transport. I am not nostalgic for the days when every transit point was full of baggage bearers working for a pittance. However, I find the stripping of trolleys and other carriage aids from airports and railway stations and the understaffing of hotels to be a genuine loss. When I took my motto ‘effortless elegance’ I chose it as an argument not for less service but for better service.”
3. “Leather goods, aside from shoes and some accessories, pose a problem for the traveller today. Only those with unlimited baggage allowances or who travel using only ground transportation can afford to carry more than the skimpiest leather bags. Even a proper briefcase is likely to exceed the ever-shrinking cabin baggage quota. Since I prefer to drive to my destinations I can continue to enjoy the full range of leather-goods that lend a natural touch to often otherwise artificial environments. Good leather products are increasingly difficult to find and hence tend to be costly. Still, I prefer a leather bag wherever possible — or canvas as the traditional lightweight alternative. In my J-Travel collection I have tried to combine the virtues of both.”