‘SERENITY is not a collection, but a way of travelling.’
An interview with Eric Koedijk, Head of Design at SUITSUIT.
‘SERENITY is not a collection, but a way of travelling.’
An interview with Eric Koedijk, Head of Design at SUITSUIT.
Travel increasingly seems to revolve around faster, bigger and more luxurious experiences, while more and more women are longing for calm, awareness and genuine moments. That is why SUITSUIT is choosing a different direction. With the new SERENITY collection, we translate our vision of meaningful travel into a tangible design. What ideas, trends and choices shaped it? We asked Eric Koedijk, Head of Design at SUITSUIT.
Travel increasingly seems to revolve around faster, bigger and more luxurious experiences, while more and more women are longing for calm, awareness and genuine moments. That is why SUITSUIT is choosing a different direction. With the new SERENITY collection, we translate our vision of meaningful travel into a tangible design. What ideas, trends and choices shaped it? We asked Eric Koedijk, Head of Design at SUITSUIT.
SERENITY is not just another collection. What makes it unique?
“This collection did not begin with the product, but with something people are feeling right now. In this busy and uncertain world, the line between what is real and what is not seems to be fading more and more. The desire for genuine moments is growing. For spontaneity. For the unexpected. We no longer want the perfect picture, but the real story. You want to feel it, taste it and smell it. We call that storyliving instead of storytelling. Because the most memorable travel experiences do not happen in the most famous or Instagrammable places, but in the moments you cannot plan.”
What travel trends are shaping the moment?
“There are roughly three. The first is that meaningful travel is becoming increasingly important. Female travellers in particular are making more conscious choices. They may travel less often, but when they do, they want more from the experience. Not in photos, but in feeling.
Secondly, there is growing awareness of the impact travel can have on mental wellbeing. We live in a world that is constantly switched on. Travel is increasingly being used as a moment to slow down and reconnect — with yourself and with your surroundings. Travel becomes an invitation to reciprocity: you do not travel only for yourself, but also for the people you meet. You give something of yourself in time, attention or openness, and receive something valuable in return, such as insight, connection and meaning.
Finally, perhaps the most important trend is the shift from ownership to meaning. People are looking for products that stand for something. Products that fit the way they want to live and travel.”
How do you translate these trends into a tangible product?
“By asking one central question: how can a product support this feeling instead of disrupting it? With SERENITY, we wanted to design something that does not demand attention, but creates space instead. Something that brings calm rather than adding noise.”
And how does that show in the design?
“You see it in everything. In the shapes, which are softer and more balanced. In the materials, which feel refined. And in the colours, which are not dominant but supportive.”
The colours stand out because of their softness. How were they chosen?
“The colours may be the most visible part of our philosophy. We deliberately chose a palette inspired by natural moments of calm. So no harsh contrasts and no trend colours that disappear again in a year, but shades that feel timeless and radiate a certain sense of calm.”
And what about the materials and finishing?
“We followed the same principle there. The materials had to be beautiful, but also express softness and quality. No excess and no unnecessary details. Everything we add must be functional and contribute to a feeling of calm. In that sense, SERENITY is also a form of quiet design. It is not about standing out, but about getting it right.”
How does SERENITY fit within the philosophy of SUITSUIT?
“In many ways, this is the purest translation of our travel philosophy so far. We believe travel is a movement in two directions. You take something with you, but you also leave something behind. That requires attention, openness and intention. SERENITY supports exactly that kind of travel. Not the fast consumption of destinations, but the conscious experience of them. It perfectly reflects what we mean by storyliving: not capturing the perfect picture, but truly experiencing the moment.”
Who is this collection designed for?
“For women who recognise themselves in that way of travelling. These are women who are not looking for the hottest spots, but for the most meaningful moments. They travel to discover, connect and grow. They do not necessarily want more, but better: more depth and more authenticity.”
What do you hope women feel when travelling with SERENITY?
“Calm. But not in the sense of silence, more as a feeling of balance. Of space. That their suitcase is not something they have to think about, but something that supports how they want to travel. And perhaps even more importantly, that it reminds them why they travel. Because in the end, it is not about the suitcase you buy from us, but about the journeys you will make with it.”
What are your expectations for the collection?
“I mainly hope it sets something in motion. That we do not just create beautiful products, but put forward a vision. And that women recognise themselves in it. Of course, I hope it will be a successful collection, but more importantly, I hope it shows where we as a brand are heading. If SERENITY helps a woman travel more consciously, be more open to what happens along the way, and experience how travel enriches not only herself but also the people she meets, then it has succeeded.”
With SERENITY, SUITSUIT is not introducing a trend, but a perspective.
An invitation to look at travel differently — as a form of reciprocity. You do not travel only for yourself, but also for the people you meet. You give something of yourself in time, attention and openness, and receive something valuable in return: insight, connection and meaning. Because in the end, the value of a journey lies not in where you have been, but in what you have experienced.
And that is exactly where SERENITY begins.
