Bold colors, smart features and maximum comfort for your travels. The innovative suitcases from the Ukrainian brand Have a Rest come with a built-in scale and a powerbank. Their latest collection was created in collaboration with fashion brand KSENIASCHNAIDER, using plastic bottles and recycling their old suitcases. We asked Alina Dolinina, the founder of the brand!
Tell us about the beginning; how did the story of Have A Rest start?
Traveling has always been my passion, so I wanted to create a brand that would make these occasions less stressful. On the way back from a shopping trip in Amsterdam with my friends, we found out at the airport that everyone was over the weight limit. That’s when the idea of a scale built into a suitcase occurred to me and the brand’s story began. Besides the scale, there is also a built-in powerbank to keep your phone charged on the way. I have always been inspired by hard-working and successful people. They are the target audience for our brand and the biggest drivers of our development. The name of the brand also speaks to them. Besides technology, aesthetics and colors are also extremely important to me—therefore, our suitcases are very photogenic and can accessorize any trip.
Additionally to the permanent monochrome pieces, you regularly come out with special collaborations. The last one was with KSENIASCHNAIDER, an internationally popular fashion brand based in Kijev. What makes these pieces special?
I deeply believe that every great idea is born out of the collaboration of like-minded people. Our first step towards eco-suitcases and our most successful partnership so far was creating the Holo Trip collection with KSENIASCHNAIDER. This collaboration includes eco-friendly suitcases made of recycled plastic: 60 bottles were used for the small, and 130 bottles for the large version. The wheels of the travel bags are made from our recycled old suitcases, this is why they have different colors. In the future, we hope to team up with other global brands that also share our vision.
Speaking about the love for travel, why do you think people should visit Ukraine? What is the most special thing about the country in your opinion?
I think Ukraine is wonderful in so many ways, whether it’s nature, tradition, or gastronomy. We have incredible places: Vilkovo, the pink lake, which is also known as the Ukrainian Venice, the castles in Lviv, the gorgeous Carpathians, the Bukovina forests and even a desert and authentic small villages. The Ukrainian cities are also unbelievably inspiring, with coastal Odesa and, of course, Kyiv, with its historical roots and architecture. Kyiv is also called “new Berlin”, due to its very young and fast-developing culture, with lots of parties, raves and exhibitions. Fashion is also born and developed in the capital, spreading Ukraine’s reputation around the world. Through Have A Rest’s online content, we aim to reveal the most beautiful corners of our country and show people how much they can discover here.
Besides the suitcases, you design accessories such as protective covers, organizers and stickers. One of your sticker collections features Ukrainian symbols. What do they represent?
The illustrations show the places you most associate with Ukraine: the beautiful fields, the sea and the mountains. Our goal was to create a modern and aesthetically pleasing design about the memories that live deep in our subconscious. We have also selected small fragments of Ukrainian poems that would fill the illustrations with emotions. We wanted these quotes not to feel outdated and distant but to become fashionable and fun to wear on the bags. These stickers on a suitcase symbolize the carrying of the history and culture of the Ukrainian people and emphasize their attachment to Ukraine.
The winners of the PLY DESIGN HOUSE design contest received their awards
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