Where Betsey Johnson is typically known for designing weekender bags for women, this brand also represents a favorite luggage venue for all kinds of designer bags that fit a wide range of luggage needs. Likewise, the similar brand Delsey Luggage is committed to providing something special and recognizable and truly one-of-a-kind. These are both luggage brands which design and produce unique bags for all your traveling needs, with the only unanswered question being: which to pick? Our article explores each of these brands along with luggage from each unique line for the purpose of discovering the best and nothing less.
A Brief Review of Betsey Johnson Luggage
The hip and original Betsey Johnson Luggage designs first made their debut in the 1960’s and became popular so quickly because of their whimsical or even edgy style choices. Betsey Johnson, who first pursued a career as a dancer, founded this brand to produce fashion trending luggage that’s both exuberant and a little bit over the top. You can expect these bags to have trademark features such as hippie inspired flowing fabrics, unique face designs, and sexy silhouettes. These are the kinds of bags which are always styling, forever recognizable, and never easy to lose or mix up with someone else’s.
A Brief Review of Delsey Luggage
Delsey Luggage meets the fashion industry with its innovative French designs which are not only classy but also look great with your hat, shoes, and dress. Unlike the Betsey Johnson brand, the Delsey regular is something more calm, subdued, and faithful to those Parisian origins. For the longest period they only designed hardshell bags, but with the event of the times they’ve adapted their and added all manner of chic and sophisticated soft bag options. Delsey’s main goal is to produce luggage that is globally recognized, simple to use, and ideal for all your travels.
How we Organized our Research
For your convenience we designed our research to fall in three separate categories that compare these two brands side by side with nothing but the facts: Best Hardshell Luggage, Best Carry-On Duffel’s, and Best Luggage Sets.
Best Hardside Luggage
Buying the best is a serious matter. For hardshell bags, the best brand would be one which uses materials that include aluminum or polycarbonate, however typically lightweight designs employ ABS or a blend of materials. Another thing hardshell suitcases should feature is a deep body (plenty of storage) without too heavy a weight (consider those airline fees).
Betsey Johnson Midsize 26” Suitcase with Spinner Wheels
Suitcase Storage
This Betsey Johnson Luggage original comes equipped with a zipper expander for added room. It’s body can fit up to 35-40 liters of space (easily enough packing room for 2 weeks and then some). For added organization this bag features a massive zipper compartment designed into the ceiling.
Materials/Durability
As you’ll see, some bags blend their materials to build a design which is both lightweight and highly durable. This ingenious design features a highly durable blend of thin ABS w PC Film over a composite polycarbonate lightweight shell.
Additional Features
Unpacked this bag only weighs 8 pounds, it’s equipped with an ergonomic telescopic handle and wheels on 8 spinner wheels for optimum maneuverability.
Size Options
This 26-inch suitcase features the most popular and edgy laughing skull design; however, this bag is also available in 20” carry-on sizes and 30” full sizes. Other unique designs for this bag include 10 different eye-catching patterns that meet the traditional boldness associated with the Betsey Johnson brand.
Delsey Luggage Chatelet Hard+, Medium Checked Luggage, Champagne
Suitcase Storage
This medium bag at 24 inches offers a little less space than the Betsey Johnson pick though they’re both in the same category for fashionable medium-checked bags. On the inside it’s easily more organizable with multiple zippered pockets and an interior divider for heavy luggage and clothes; however, this bag lacks an outside expander zipper which further limits its available luggage space.
Materials/Durability
Very durable components of this luggage include strong self-repairing zippers and an aluminum handle, best of all this bag is super lightweight while also using 100% highly durable polypropylene.
Additional Features
Delsey’s bag features a full lined gorgeous red interior and stylish Japanese-French inspired exterior. It’s built with 8 silent-running spinner wheels and a unique ‘stop’ and ‘go’ brake system.
Size Options
This bag is more limited in its style options as it’s specifically designed to reflect a Japanese and French mix of class; therefore, this bag only comes in its available white and bamboo brown colors. For all your travel needs this bag can also be purchase as a 21” carry-on or 28”/30” full size.
Best Carry-On Duffel Bag
Put simply, the best duffel bags should be very lightweight and highly portable without sacrificing their durability on poor materials. The most durable material would be nylon, though you’re more likely to see cotton canvas (medium durability) or polyester (least durable) with fashion-conscious brands. Our brands under review offer great carry-on options and we’ll see how they compare.
Betsy Johnson Luggage Designer Pattern Wheeled Duffel
Suitcase Storage
For your carry-on needs, this Betsey Johnson Luggage is a suitcase which fits easily into most overhead compartments and offers a fully lined interior with multiple interior organizational pockets and an outside zippered pocket. It can easily fit up to 8 days of clothes depending on how you pack.
Materials/Durability
Built with lightweight construction designed to make travel easier, this bag utilizes a unique signature fabric which is equal to the medium durability of cotton canvas. If you check this bag it’s likely to get crushed and will maybe rip, however it’s durability is perfect for wheeling around and carry-on needs.
Additional Features
Ergonomic handles offer excellent grip and this bag can be toted around or wheeled depending on its weight or your preference.
Size Options
This bag represents a favorite style from the Betsey Johnson brand, it’s also a perfect match to create a chic matching set with our first Betsey Johnson reviewed bag. Only one size option is available for this designer duffel.
Delsey Luggage Helium Cruise 30 Inch Trolley Duffel
Suitcase Storage
With a fully lined compartment that’s rather roomy, this bag offers a bit more space than the Betsey Johnson option and even has those necessary organizational inside zippered pockets. In a full overhead compartment fitting this bag might require a little rearranging, especially if the front deep pocket is stuffed.
Materials/Durability
Delsey exhibits a unique but very smart choice by using ballistic nylon in this bags design. Though the bag’s fashion style is rather business elegant and rather simple, this duffel comes with the bonus of being very resistant against moisture, dirt, wear-and-tear, and regular abrasions.
Additional Features
This Betsey Johnson rolling duffel features a strong polypropylene kickplate to pop out those wheels and a telescopic pull handle with a push button release.
Size Options
Though it’s a rather simple suitcase from a brand known for its eye for fashion, this purple suitcase would work great for any business trip or casual traveler. It only comes as full-sized softside duffel.
Best Luggage Sets
Since a set is more than a solitary piece of luggage to consider, the best sets actually include a mix of three factors: purpose, durability, and space. The last two are pretty obvious, but ‘purpose’ means that no part of the set should seem worthless or useless. The best sets offer you several bags and you should be able to use all of those bags without any one of them seeming non-essential. Additionally, for the hardshell sets compared below, the previously mentioned ideal materials still apply for added durability and lightweight traveling.
Betsey Johnson 3-piece Hardside set with Spinner Wheels
Suitcase Storage
Together these bags offer a load of storage for weeks of travel (even up to 2 months of just clothes, depending on how you pack). From bag to bag each suitcase in this set includes a zippered expansion for added packing space, a fully lined interior, and one central divider.
Materials/Durability
Made with an extra durable polycarbonate shell, each bag is surrounded by a light mix of added ABS with PC Film materials for a truly unique unforgettable style while traveling. However, these bags are still very lightweight, with the heaviest unpacked size weighing 9.7lbs.
Additional Features
The 8 spinner wheel system enables great maneuverability and motion. And the ergonomic handle grips allow for maximum control of your suitcase while traveling.
Size Options
Sizes included in this set are a carry-on bag at 20 inches, medium checked size at 26 inches, and large check size at 30 inches. A wide number of prints are available for purchase to make your Luggage set truly unique and one-of-a-kind.
Delsey Paris Alexis 3-Piece Lightweight Hardside Spinner Set
Suitcase Storage
From bag to bag in this set, each interior includes excellent tie-down straps and a mesh zippered divider to keep full packed compartments separate. Depending on how you pack, between these bags you can easily fit up to 2 months of clothing for those extended tours away from home. Compared to the Betsey Johnson Luggage set, this set does offer a larger 32-inch biggest bag which will fit more.
Materials/Durability
In this set the Delsey brand has employed fairly strong ABS material into a hardcore scratch-resistant shell. Because of this, these bags will weigh more fully packed, however they are also less durable than sets which use polycarbonate or aluminum. Fortunately, because of the unique grained texture designed for this luggage, scratches and dents are very unlikely.
Additional Features
This set offers a suave business style which is perfect for long business trips, fancy traveling abroad, and even just the common trip cross-country to visit Grandma.
Size Options
These bags are sleek with an eye-catching grained façade that also makes them scratch proof; available in burgundy and navy colors. All sizes in the set are: 24-inch carry-on, 27-inch medium, and 32-inch large.
Betsey Johnson Luggage vs. Delsey Luggage – Which is the best pick?
Both of these brands represent a different kind of fashion-sense and style in their bags, Betsey’s which is wild and very unique, and Delsey’s which is more traditional and business-forward. Fashion aside however, Betsey Johnson bags show higher durability and more packing space with their designs which make them worth your money and great for extended stays. Their unique printed fashion style is also more affordable, though not with the added Delsey classiness, and offers more options (prints) for making your luggage unique and true to you.
Summary
Two different fashion-conscious brands, Betsey Johnson and Delsey Luggage, represent the future of fashion and the ability to travel in style. Though the Betsey Johnson brand is known for its wild and edgy designs, while Delsey reflects that French integrity, there is a clear winner between these fashion choices which offers more packing space and longer-lasting luggage.
