The luggage category has suddenly become a lot more interesting. From fashion-based collaborations to consumers considering suitcases as extensions of personal style, a category once dominated by practicality is finding new ways to stay relevant. One of the brands contributing to that change is Escape Plan, which recently launched a luggage collection with HRX and Rare Rabbit.
The founder and CEO behind the company is Abhinav Pathak, a second-time entrepreneur and consumer business veteran who chose to start from scratch after a successful exit. Instead of building yet another luggage brand in India, Pathak saw an opportunity for something larger. Travel is becoming a bigger part of how Indians live, socialize and plan. Indian goods industry has grown by an estimated ₹Market close to Rs 10,000 crore in 2019 ₹Expected to reach Rs 17,000 crore in 2024 ₹26,700 crore by 2028, according to Motilal Oswal report quoted by IBEF.
Keeping the trajectory in mind, Pathak believes that consumers need an ecosystem that simplifies not just packing but the entire experience. This thinking is at the heart of the escape plan.
While luggage is currently the most visible part of the business, Reader’s long-term vision extends far beyond suitcases and travel accessories. Their goal is to create a platform that connects products, services and experiences under a single travel-focused umbrella.
Pathak says, “When the category is growing at this pace, there needs to be an authority for the category. An authority that addresses everything in this particular category.”
With travel trends rising across India and consumer expectations changing rapidly, we spoke to Pathak about the future of travel, the rise of fashion-driven accessories, manufacturing in India and where he believes the next big opportunity lies beyond product.
In an exclusive interview with HT Shop Now, the Bengaluru-based entrepreneur discusses all things travel – from trends and consumer behavior to manufacturing, quality, collaborations, and what the future of travel could look like when a brand starts thinking beyond the suitcase.
You have already achieved what many founders spend their entire careers pursuing. Why did you start again?
Abhinav Pathak: My exit from Amazon (in 2021, Amazon acquired Abhinav’s retail tech startup, Purpule, after which Pathak spent nearly two years in leadership roles at Amazon before leaving in 2023 to start Escape Plan) gave me a blank slate again. My expectations from myself were very high. I wanted to build something that could become one of the top consumer businesses in the country. There was no urgency from a financial perspective. If I wanted, I could have retired. The challenge was to find something worth spending the next decade building.
Why travel? What got this category right?
Abhinav Pathak: Travel is one of the fastest growing categories today. People are constantly planning trips, talking about trips or returning from trips. It is no longer an occasional activity. It has become part of people’s way of living. When a category grows so quickly, there is an opportunity to create an authority that brings everything together under one roof.
Escape Plan continues to emphasize that it is not a luggage brand. what is it then?
Abhinav Pathak: We see ourselves as a travel platform. stuff The journey is only part of the experience. Travelers also need visas, currency exchange, travel accessories, planning tools and services. Today all that has been shattered. Our goal is to simplify travel by bringing those needs together in a single ecosystem.
What does the migration plan look like five years from now?
Abhinav Pathak: Anything and everything a traveler needs should be available through an escape plan. This could be for daily commute, business travel, family holidays or international trips. We want to be present in those use cases and make the journey more seamless for consumers.
Your collaboration seems closer to fashion than traditional stuff. Was that intentional?
Abhinav Pathak: Completely intentional. If we do the same thing everyone else is doing, there’s no reason for consumers to choose us. People increasingly view accessories as an extension of their personal style. They care as much about what they wear as they do what they wear. We wanted to reflect that change.
Many new brands focus only on premium consumers. Why take a different path?
Abhinav Pathak: India is too diverse to think this way. Platforms become big because they serve everyone. If you look at companies like Swiggy, Ola or Uber, they are used in economic sectors. We want the escape plan to work the same way. The journey is everyone’s, and so should our platform.
What is changing in the way Indians buy goods today?
Abhinav Pathak: People are traveling more frequently, and they are becoming more individualistic in their choices. Earlier, one set of belongings was shared by the entire family. Today, family members often have their own belongings. Consumers are also paying more attention to design, functionality and personal expression.
There is a lot of debate going on about white labeling in the goods category. What is your Opinion?
Abhinav Pathak: Our approach has always been to build products from the ground up. Each component is designed, tested and engineered before reaching production. It takes more time, but it gives us more control over quality. We wanted to create products that could last for years rather than chasing a quick launch.
Can India become a global manufacturing hub for goods?
Abhinav Pathak: Absolutely. The infrastructure exists today in a way that did not exist a few years ago. What we now need is widespread adoption and continued investment. Indian manufacturing has reached the point where it can compete globally if brands are committed to manufacturing locally and maintaining high standards.
What keeps you motivated after experiencing success already?
Abhinav Pathak: Curiosity The desire to create something meaningful never really ends. Success gives you rest, but building gives you energy. This is what keeps me motivated.
Recent collaborations with brands like HRX and Rare Rabbit are certainly turning heads, but they appear to be part of a much bigger plan. In a market saturated with products, innovative readers are betting on an ecosystem. Time will tell how this plays out, but it’s a place worth seeing.
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