Gucci Guccisima foldable leather chequers set and travel tube.

This new release from Gucci is a bit of a puzzler, on the one hand it's an excellent concept, a travel chequerboard and pieces, branded, with an attractive branded travel tube, however, trouble is, it has been done before, and with far superior execution.

View for example a post by us "Loro Piana Chequers Set" where Loro Piana have used cashmere rather than leather, or several other alternative luxury travel games, which not only look nicer, but are far, far more practical, the big problem with leather is, it is not that flexible, if you tan and tan it, it become thick and rigid, then when you fold it, it is hard to return it to a flat shape, and treated gently, it becomes too light, and blows away like paper.

To be effective for this application, the leather must be just right, and from the picture, this leather looks wrong, bear in mond this is a press shot, the absolute best it will ever look, and even here the leather is turning up at the corners.

For all those who disagree, it is available now, priced at £385.