While having the unexpected pleasure of traveling to Italy, I discovered the need for a lightweight, crossover travel bag that would fit under the airplane seat. The majority of travelers had back packs, and I noticed how uncomfortable they seemed while waiting in the security line at the airport. Every time they wanted to get in their back pack they had to take it off, or they had to hold their passport, phone, ID, and boarding pass for hours. Backpacks are great for hiking or carrying school books, but they are cumbersome for traveling.

I wanted a lightweight, durable, water resistant bag. I did not want a bag that was too large, and I also did not want to carry or pull something around all day that looked like a piece of luggage. 

I named William Ross travel bags after both my maternal and paternal grandparents. 

Ross was my grandfather on my maternal side. I can still remember his hunting gear as well as my great grandfathers. Back in those days they waxed the material themselves. That’s what attracted me so closely with the waxed canvas fabric. For me, the bold leather William Ross label and its simple arrow icon signals my brand's focus on "strength and forward direction of travel," a  testament to my grandparents and their own stories of trials and travel.