Out-there designer McQueen launched a signature line last autumn and his turtle-shell shaped case starred in an arresting set of beachset commercials. “Why should every luggage ad feature cases on the steps of a plane?” huffs Bottoli. He says that McQueen and oddball Dutch duo Victor & Rolf, whose first creations will debut next autumn, were primarily tapped to funk-up Samsonite’s image but McQueen has also proved a significant revenue-earner.

Samsonite’s presence in the luxury market is reinforced with Lambertson Truex, which makes handbags, shoes, gloves, belts and unisex accessories. Bottoli believes the under-exploited company, which opened a Madison Avenue flagship last autumn, has the potential to challenge Coach, the surging American handbags and leather goods company. He says he hopes to announce two more major acquisitions and further joint ventures shortly. In 2006, Samsonite signed a worldwide licence agreement with footwear giant Timberland to develop branded luggage and accessories. It has a similar deal with resurgent Paris-based leisurewear outfit Lacoste.

Bottoli wants to influence younger markets as well as fresher-faced consumers. “Our priorities are China, India and Russia, because of the higher potential volume of upscale customers. Those three combined represent the largest luxury market, equal to the Americas, Europe and Japan. In less than 10 years they will be 1.5-times what those markets are worth.”

Not only are these territories growing faster than any other market, Bottoli reckons: “They all have fast-growing affluent and educated consumers eager to spend and not be cheated by products that just have brand names but insufficient quality.”

Bottoli says he recognises that different markets cannot be treated as one homogenous mass. In India and Russia, Samsonite has controlled joint ventures: “It is better to own a smaller share of a large pie than a large share of nothing,” he muses. It has 170 shops in India, 100 in China and eight in Russia. In the €25m Indian luggage industry, Samsonite is growing at 55% a year. There are already two Black Label boutiques in the country; Timberland and Lacoste accessories have just gone on sale. Next priorities are Latin America, Turkey and the Middle East.

The CEO says that the fact that three successive separate private equity companies have bankrolled the company speaks volumes. “By their very nature, these outfits want a good return for three to five years before they sell their acquisitions on. The fact one after another saw even more potential is significant.” Of course, so is the amount that Bottoli stands to make from a successful listing, which would eclipse any reward from his key role in the 1997 flotation of Benckiser (which led to post-merger behemoth Reckitt Benckiser).

If market conditions prove unhelpful, Samsonite claims its cashflow can finance growth and absorb any macroeconomic shocks. Audaciously, its owners were optimistic enough to reward themselves with a $175m bonus in December 2006 – paid for in part by the taking on of more debt – just as brand name-hungry private equity firms’ financial opacity were coming under scrutiny.

“This is a long-term project. Samsonite has been around for a hundred years,” says Bottoli, “It will be around for another hundred.” Maybe one day someone will get to wear those futuristic-looking trainers in outer space, after all.

1910 Jesse Shwayder founds Shwayder Trunk Manufacturing Company in Denver, Colorado
1918 Company introduces its first nationally advertised suitcase
1939 Unique Samsonite suitcase, predecessor to Samsonite Streamlite line, is introduced
1956 Revolutionary Ultralite luggage line introduced. The first luggage to abandon wood-frame construction in favor of magnesium and injection-moulded plastics. 1965 Company adopts the name Samsonite Corporation
1973 Samsonite is purchased by Beatrice Foods Co.
1993 Then-owner Astrum purchases the American Tourister luggage company to complement Samsonite
1995 Samsonite regains independent corporate status
2005 Launches its high-end Black Label along with 40 boutiques
2006 Major move into the footwear sector begins