Travelling from London to Paris and on to Rome for a series of fancy events recently, I glimpsed the future. And it didn’t include a massive, back-breaking suitcase.

Flying with mountains of trunks –once a symbol of jet-set travel – now looks positively farcical. US fashion editors have cracked this nut already – a surprising number cross the globe with carry-on luggage even when they’re travelling for events that demand major outfits.

Inevitably, there’s a not-so-subtle form of one-upmanship at work here: one that says I’m flying business or first, so I can take a small wheelie in the cabin. If you’re flying economy, wave adios to those dreams of not checking anything in, but keep it light. You never know when you’ll meet three broken escalators.

Luckily, luxury has gone micro. With a timeliness that can’t be coincidence, minimalism is returning. Lanvin’s Alber Elbaz is revered not least because he’s reinvented glamour as a slouchy, understated code that consists of deceptively simple dresses that will screw up into a ball. And if accessories are where most fashion action is these days, that’s fine, because you can conscript your statement bag into the fight to get everything into two holdalls.

So, stick to a limited colour palette to minimise superfluities. List what you’ll be doing and concomitant requirements. Wear your bulkiest pieces travelling. For a weekend: one pair of casual trousers or a skirt; three tops, including one you’ll travel in; one drapey dress, in a plain colour, that can be rolled up; one jacket; one trench or heavier coat; one pair each of heels and flats; jewellery and belts to glam up the dress. Decant toiletries into 100ml bottles – if necessary, you can then put them in your hand luggage. For a week/month: assuming there are dry-cleaners where you’re going, three bottoms (trousers or skirts); six tops (one of them evening-worthy); one drapey jersey or satin dress in a dark colour that can double for evenings; one pair of flats, two pair of heels (one for evening); one pair of boots; one jacket; one cardigan, one coat; one evening cover-up; one shiny or sequined item (always handy); belts and as much jewellery as you can fit in.

Get the right suitcase – it’s your second home when you’re travelling. These are the fashion department’s favourite wheelies:Mandarina Duck’s black nylon Work Trolley Case, £188 – light with robust wheels, a hanging bag, hangers and a two-year guarantee; unassuming yet chic. Samsonite Spinner Silhouette 10 HS, £165 – one of the most attractive, with a hard but flexible outer lining in red or black, swivel wheels, a fixed security lock, internal pockets, a hanging bag and ten-year guarantee; perfect for a weekend or week of bikinis and kaftans. Marks & Spencer medium case, £39, a hard/soft hybrid in charcoal; excellent value and capacity. Bric Sintesis Ego Trolley, £185 – ultra-light and durable; not much inside, but masses of room. Case Logic, £179.99 – light and expandable with a hanging bag and nylon compartments; comes with a small matching carry-on bag that sits on top of the trolley and a 25-year guarantee. Antler Tronic, £145 – light and expandable, with a roomy interior. Finally, not the most chic, but impressively roomy: Delsey Spinner, £120 – basic interior, slightly flimsy feeling, but its 360-degree rotational wheels are a plus; security lock and three-year guarantee.

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