Sometime in 1987, a company was founded in Antwerp, Belgium. That company has grown into what is known as the Kipling brand. A few months after its establishment, the brand delivered the first set of Kipling bags in Belgium. They continued manufacturing and delivering, and two years later in 1989, the Netherlands branch of the company was founded. From this point on, the business experienced a lot of expansion and growth, and not too long after, they started selling in Italy and the United States. In 2004, the brand became part of the VF Corporation.

Since this time, Kipling sales have more than doubled. Many attribute this to the rapid geographical expansion, which the company has experienced, coupled with a change in the designs of their products. It is said that every minute, about twenty-three bags are sold around the world. Kipling bags are designed according to collections. Thus, while all members of a collection have the same features, different collections may have different designs. However, some qualities that are common to all their bags are the fashionability and stylishness, regardless of the category under which they fall. The bags have been described as having exquisite designs and fashioner colors that is guaranteed to make heads turn.

The collections offered under the Kipling brand include Basic, City, Gorilla Girlz, Soft Power, Sport Intense, IF, Vintage and Vintage Leather. Each name on the Kipling brand derives from the names of Kipling employees around the world. Each of the names tallies with a color. All Kipling bags sport either a signature rubber Kipling logo or a Kipling furry monkey key ring attached, depending on the age group for which it is designed. Thus, while kid bags bear the monkeys, bags for adults have the logo stamps. The monkey key rings have become huge collector items, with many people adding to their collections every day. It is rumored that a collector has as much as four hundred and fifty of them in his collection.

Over forty million people in the world today own one of the bags, including celebrities. Many celebrities have become identified with Kipling bags over the years. In particular, the model Elise Crombez has been seen on a number of occasions sporting one of the bags. Another model, Anouck Lepere wears the brand once in a while.

To deliver better bags, the Kipling brand partners with international designers, to create new collections for sale. Some of the designers with whom they have collaborated include Gloria Coelho, who worked with Kipling to produce the autumn/winter collection in 2008. Another is Peter Pilotto, who created the autumn/winter for 2010. The bags featured in this collection have the theme of an intergalactic nomad. The spring/summer collection of Kipling bags was created in collaboration with Cathy Pill, an international designer.

The collection is known as the Cathy Pill Haute Couture collection. Some of the other designers with whom they have worked include Valeria Siniouchkina, the owner of the Girls from Omsk design outfit, and two designers from El Delgado Buil.
A number of stores offer Kipling bags and other products to the online community (which is virtually everyone, right?), at some pretty unbelievable prices too. Some of the stores include

• Kipling.com: what good would it do if they do not sell their own products? Thus, the brand has a store division.

• ebags.com: this is the biggest site on the net, for all things bags and bag accessories. The bags from Kipling too are not left out as they appear on the site catalogue.

• discountedbags.com: true to its name, this store offers bags to people at reduced prices, which cannot be found anywhere else.

• qvcuk.com: they offer a wide range of bags and bag accessories made by Kipling. Here, a customer would be spoiled for choice of which bag to pick.

• rtherapy.com: rtherapy has been an authorized retail partner with Kipling since the commencement of their UK operations. Thus, they are very reliable and present a good choice for those in and around the UK. A variety of choices is also available for would-be customers.

In conclusion, Kipling bags are very good choices for the fashion conscious. With their cutting edge designs and quality, they make good accompaniments, does not matter if the event to which they are worn are casual or formal. Kipling bags are hip, chic and comfortably functional. Thus, they add a colorful sense of adventure and fun to your appearance, at prices that are not over the roof.