Sole Obsession
Tracey Cugno ’ s love affair with shoes has blossomed into a homegrown line of travel bags , face masks and accessories , all with a silver lining . By Dana Laverty
Westerly resident Tracey Cugno , below left , founded Leigh Travel in August 2019 .
Tracey Cugno opened her trunk . Her shoes were everywhere , having rolled out of their makeshift carrier , a recycling bag .
There has to be a better way , she thought , to travel with shoes .
So the Westerly resident designed a prototype , a soft travel bag with adjustable vertical compartments that kept her shoes separate from clothing and other items . After a few modifications and test runs , the ShoeCase — and Leigh Travel — was born .
That was in August 2019 . Cugno has since expanded the product line to include totes and duffel bags , backpacks , face masks , travel blankets and pillows , and a collection crafted from recycled plastic bottles . Every piece is woven through with delicate silver fibers that keep the bags and accessories odor- , mold- and mildew-free ( silver has antimicrobial properties that keep bacteria from growing ).
“ We love our bags because they ’ re beautiful , but there ’ s also such science behind them ,” she says . “ It ’ s truly our silver lining .”
An avid traveler with a background in airport retail stores , Cugno has spent countless hours driving to sales calls and passing through airports . She ’ s seen her share of poorly designed luggage , of people struggling with their bags , folks with bad posture — all issues that factored into her streamlined , unisex designs . Which all have , of course , plenty of room for shoes . Add in rubber feet for easy packing , plenty of pockets and zippers , and luggage handle pass-throughs , and you ’ ve got a nylon-sheathed recipe for success .
In June 2020 , she opened a store on Thames Street in Newport , sharing space with Azzul , a retailer of sneakers and shoes handcrafted in Portugal . In late March , she opened a shop inside Bradley International Airport just over the border in Windsor Locks , Connecticut . And she ’ s looking into new designs : maybe wheeled , hard-case luggage , belt bags and crossbody messenger bags , which men in particular are requesting , she says .
As a new summer season opens in the City by the Sea , Cugno is optimistic . After two years of dwindling tourism numbers , she thinks visitors will once again flock to the salt-sprayed city , especially now that international travelers can visit the country .
“ I feel like this is our time ,” she says . “ Travelers are back and we ’ re ready for them .” Leigh Travel , 192 Thames St ., Newport ; Bradley International Airport , Windsor Locks , Connecticut , shopleigh . com �
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF TRACEY CUGNO / LEIGH TRAVEL .
RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l JUNE 2022 19