in Luggage, Travel Gear
Nicole Miller Luggage
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Navigating the designer luggage market as a cost-conscious consumer can be tricky. Most options are either outdated or too cheaply-built. There are a few brands worth considering, though, one of which is Nicole Miller Luggage.
As you’ll see in this Nicole Miller Luggage review, the brand tailors its offerings towards the affordable designer travel set and carry-on market. But are they any good? Let’s answer that question by evaluating everything from build quality to aesthetics.
The Pros and Cons of Nicole Miller Luggage
Pros
Cons
The Verdict
If you’re looking for luggage that goes beyond the blocky and unimaginative designs typically found in the sub-$300 price range, Nicole Miller luggage sets and carry-on bags are worth considering.
If, however, you’re looking for luggage that exudes wealth in the same way traditional luxury designer brands do, you’d be wise to look elsewhere.
The Nicole Miller New York Luggage Collection is a quintessential example of the brand’s positioning. Products in this collection (such as their 15-inch carry-on briefcase) come in a stylish grey with beige leatheresque accents and a gold retractable handle.
While no one will look at this product and assume you’ve spent thousands on it, you’ll find it’s considerably more stylish than one would expect at this price point. It doesn’t scream “my family could buy this airline” yet rather “I have a sense of style but I spend my money wisely.”
Why Should You Buy Nicole Miller Luggage?
Now that you have a solid overview of Nicole Miller’s carry-on luggage and suitcases, let’s take a more detailed look at the brand’s value proposition.
Under-The-Radar
Nicole Miller Luggage is a reputable yet still somewhat obscure brand. As such, if you value individuality and would cringe seeing someone at the gate or baggage claim with the same luggage as you, it’s a brand worth considering. Nicole Miller flies under the radar much more than, say, Kenneth Cole or Samsonite.
Feminine Stylings
Nicole Miller Luggage tailors itself towards a feminine audience. Nicole Miller Rainbow Luggage is a prime example of this. This is something of a rarity at this price point, with comparable brands such as Lucas Luggage offering more masculine and rugged designs.
Of course, this can be a downside if you’re not really looking for feminine-styled luggage, in which case Nicole Miller’s products are probably not a good pick.
Compatibility
Nicole Miller designs much more than just luggage. The American businesswoman creates attire and even some jewelry as well. So if you’re the type to coordinate your outfit with your luggage, there are plenty of options for doing so within the Nicole Miller universe.
Purchasing Experience
If you prefer making purchasing decisions in a low-stress environment, you’ll enjoy the fact that most of Nicole Miller Luggage products are available on Amazon. I’m the type of person who finds it difficult to think practically when a salesperson is hovering around me, as is often the case when shopping for luggage in-store. That’s not something I need to worry about when purchasing on Amazon.
Additionally, most Amazon listings from Nicole Miller are actually fulfilled by Amazon. There’s a certain confidence that comes with buying from the world’s largest retailer (yes, Amazon has surpassed Wal-Mart) as opposed to buying directly from a manufacturer you’ve never dealt with before.
Is Anything Bad About Nicole Miller Luggage?
As hinted at a few times so far, you get what you pay for. Nicole Miller luggage sets and carry-on bags look and perform more or less like what you’d expect from this price point — with some added styling.
At this price point, you shouldn’t be alarmed to notice the occasional quality control issue. While it doesn’t seem to be overly common with Nicole Miller (I looked at several online reviews — more on this later), it does happen.
With some other brands, you can easily find replacement parts (wheels, etc) online. Based on Nicole Miller’s Amazon listing descriptions, it appears you’ll have to file a warranty claim with them instead.
This shouldn’t be a major issue, though; as of writing, Fashion Luggage (the brand behind Nicole Miller product listings on Amazon) has a 99% positive rating over the past 12 months.
Lastly, as mentioned earlier, this line of products is not a good choice if you’re not into a chic/feminine aesthetic.
Nicole Miller Luggage Reviews
As part of writing this review, I dug deep online to find as many non-sponsored Nicole Miller reviews as possible.
For the most part, their reviews are solid. The Nicole Miller Underseat Luggage Collection’s 15-inch briefcase, for example, has 465 ratings and an average of 4.5/5 stars. Below, you’ll find a few positive reviews.
Negative reviews do exist but don’t occur with enough frequency to be a cause for concern. The most common complaints about this particular product concern manufacturer defects and unexpected differences between the bag’s color in pictures vs. reality.
The bulk of the reviews (81% to be exact) are between 4 and 5 stars. Other listings for Nicole Miller Luggage on Amazon follow similar patterns.
Our Top-Rated Products
Now that you have a good overview of the brand and its strengths and weaknesses, let’s take a closer look at a few of its most popular products.
Nicole Miller Underseat Luggage Collection – Small Lightweight 15-Inch Under-Seat Bag
Luggage type: Under-Seat Carry-On Suitcase
Dimensions: 16 x 16 x 9.1 inches
Weight: 5.85 pounds
Our top choice within the Nicole Miller collection would be the Small Lightweight 15-Inch Under-Seat Bag.
As mentioned earlier, it has overwhelmingly positive reviews.
Other encouraging factors include a good choice of materials (nylon and faux-leather), plenty of external compartments, and a decent range of color options.
On that last note, there are even some options (such as Signature Black, Cameron Green, and Navy) that could suit men just fine, despite Nicole Miller primarily marketing the bag towards women.
While this briefcase isn’t big enough to be most travelers’ sole suitcase, light packers or those heading on a brief weekend getaway might find it big enough.
On its own, the bag weighs just under six pounds. That’s heavy enough to feel solidly-built but light enough to avoid being cumbersome.
One thing to consider is that some variants seem more resistant to stains and liquids than others. The Signature Black version uses a nonporous type of nylon while the woven option seems more susceptible to stains (although we haven’t tested this).
Overall, the Nicole Miller Underseat Collection Small Lightweight 15-Inch Under-Seat Bag compares favorably to similarly-sized units at this price point. Its stylings (particularly the denim-esque Paige Navy variant) lean towards feminine and chic and some of the more rugged-looking variants offer a good potential alternative to offerings from Lucas Designer.
Nicole Miller Rainbow Luggage Set
Luggage type: 3-piece hardside set
Dimensions:
Smallest: 21.8 x 13.5 x 9 inches
Middle: 25.7 x 16.7 x 10.3 inches
Largest: 30.1 x 19.6 x 11.2 inches
Weight:
Smallest: 6.2 pounds
Middle: 8.8 pounds
Largest: 10.2 pounds
As solid as our best pick is, a single carry-on bag, understandably, won’t meet everyone’s travel needs. That’s why the Nicole Miller New York Luggage Rainbow three-piece set is a close second.
The set features an unabashedly feminine design. You can choose between hues like “rainbow lavender,” “rainbow olive,” and “rainbow spice.” In other words, if you’re looking for something more subdued, you might want to skip ahead to one of the other items.
Each piece in this set is made from ABS and PC, which contributes to their lightness. If you’re a heavy packer, lightweight suitcases like these are worth considering as they’ll help you avoid excess baggage fees at the airport.
Each bag features eight wheels (four sets of two). This design can help with maneuverability but it’s not necessarily a life-changer; just a nice touch.
The push-button handles are made from aircraft-grade aluminum and are pleasant to hold.
Overall, this suitcase set is not for folks looking to blend into their surroundings at the airport. It’s for people who don’t mind turning heads with colorful and retro-looking luggage.
Nicole Miller New York Luggage Collection – 20 Inch Carry-On Hardside Suitcase
Luggage type: Carry-On
Dimensions: 21.8 x 13.5 x 9 inch
Weight: 7 pounds
If you want something stylish but not “rainbow spice” stylish, this Nicole Miller hardside luggage offering is worth considering.
As with the rainbow set, this carry-on is made from ABS and PC, only in more subdued colors like charcoal and lake blue. Beyond color, this carry-on comes in three designs: basketweave, a basic textured finish, and something called “Wild Side,” which features a reptilian scale pattern and the words “Nicole Miller” embedded on the front and back.
Of the products we’ve mentioned so far, the Nicole Miller New York Luggage Collection 20-Inch Carry-On has arguably the least impressive-feeling handle. It’s not bad per se, it just feels lighter and less confidence-inspiring than the aircraft-grade steel handles on the Rainbow Luggage Set. The Amazon listing doesn’t specify exactly what material Nicole Miller is using for the handle but it doesn’t seem to be of the same quality.
You may be able to overlook this, however, when you consider that the suitcase costs $60 as of writing. Direct competitors (like those from Steve Madden or High Sierra) can cost as much as $200 while sacrificing style.
All in all, this carry-on bag is worth considering if you want something affordable and stylish yet subdued. If you are particularly hard on your luggage, you might want to consider something with a sturdier handle, such as our next pick.
Nicole Miller Jolene Luggage Set
Luggage type: 4-piece set
Dimensions:
Tote Bag: 19 x 8 x 14 inches
Smallest Upright: 14 x 9 x 21 inches
Middle Upright: 15 x 10 x 24 inches
Largest Upright: 17 x 12 x 28 inches
Weight: 34.3 pounds (entire set; individual weights not specified)
Up until this point, we’ve primarily discussed affordably-priced offerings from Nicole Miller. While this range appears to be the brand’s primary focus, it’s worth mentioning the Nicole Miller Jolene Luggage Set for those willing to spend around the $1,000 mark.
The tote bag and suitcases are all made from grey cotton tweed. This material gives off a more luxurious feeling than some of the other options we’ve mentioned, including the hardside products.
While the set’s design still leans towards the feminine side, it’s considerably less playful than something like the rainbow set. With its gold-colored hardware, the luggage is worth considering if your tastes lean to the more refined and business-like side.
This set is still more approachable in terms of cost than offerings from other designer brands like Louis Vuitton, making it an option worth considering within the ‘entry-level luxury’ market.
The downside? You’ll have to look harder for this set than some of the others we’ve mentioned as it’s currently sold out at most online retailers. So if you need your luggage sooner rather than later, you may want to look elsewhere.
Conclusion
In this post, we took a detailed look at Nicole Miller Luggage. To summarize, the brand primarily markets its luggage towards females seeking chic suitcases at affordable prices.
Among its best products (which we’ve selected and listed above based on our analysis), you’ll find carry-on and check-in luggage options ranging in style from subdued to eye-catching.
In our opinion, the product that best represents the brand’s value proposition is the Nicole Miller Small Lightweight 15-Inch Under-Seat Bag.
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