The company initially found an international audience who shared Olsson and Brataas\u2019s frustrations with the industry. After this success, they decided to branch out. The next release was the Hugger backpack, inspired by the mathematics of the golden ratio and the first major Douchebags breakout. It initially sold well through the action sports world before university students began buying the bag. \u201cIt became the first big commercial engine, which could do hundreds of thousands of units, not tens of thousands of units,\u201d says Brataas. This success led to the company\u2019s top-line revenue growing by 220% between 2016 and 2017.<\/p>\n
After over a decade of innovating and scaling beyond sports luggage to a broader range of luggage and bags, LVMH Luxury Ventures acquired a 12% stake in Db in 2024 at a valuation just shy of $100 million. Announcing the investment at the time, Julie Bercovy, CEO of LVMH Luxury Ventures Advisors, described Db as \u201ccombining truly distinctive designs, high-quality and functionality, and geared towards a close community of outdoor enthusiasts, athletes, creative people and passionate travelers, with whom the brand entertains deep ties.\u201d<\/p>\n
The brand, Bercovy added, had \u201ca strong position in Scandinavia with an untapped growth potential in the rest of the world.\u201d Other investors have since come on board. Norwegian fishing billionaire Gustav Magnar Witz\u00f8e invested around 50 million NOK (approximately $5.4 million) in 2025 at the same time as Manchester City soccer player Erling Haaland acquired a minority stake valued at 10 million NOK ($1.1 million). In the company\u2019s last public earnings filing for fiscal 2024, revenue reached 409 million NOK (approximately $44 million).<\/p>\n Db\u2019s 2025 holiday campaign featuring Erling Haaland.<\/p>\n <\/span>Photo: Courtesy of DB<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n As the company\u2019s profile grew, the founders decided it was time for a change. Douchebags \u2014 the name coined from within the skiing and snowboarding community \u2014 was dropped in 2019, and the shorter Db was used in its place. It was a sign that Brataas and Olsson were looking into how their products could be used in different walks of life. \u201cIt feels a bit like growing up,\u201d Brataas says. \u201cYou start in your garage, you\u2019re a rebel and a startup, and then you grow up as a person, and as a brand, and it\u2019s the right time to change as you want the brand to become bigger.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2022, Db launched its Ramverk suitcases, no longer aimed just at action sports enthusiasts. It marked a shift for Db and a new focus, positioning the brand as the luggage choice for the creative industries. This new direction wasn\u2019t too much of a departure for Db. \u201cWhen you think of action sports, the majority of it is about creativity,\u201d says Richard Collier, who joined as CEO in 2024. \u201cWe\u2019re enabling you to go out and do your thing, be creative, do what you want to do, and travel to the places you want to go to.\u201d For Brataas, the \u201cred thread\u201d that has always existed at Db comes from skiers, snowboarders, surfers, and \u201cthe creative drive you find within those people.\u201d This refocusing has been a major part of Db\u2019s success, helping it expand beyond its original niche and reach the wider creative class. No longer just for skiers or snowboarders, the brand now targets photographers, designers, and art directors as well.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"Image](\"https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/69fca7c7506e22c43c2f8921\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/DB-vogue-business-story-inline%2520copy.jpg\"\/)
<\/picture><\/span><\/div>\nGrowing up<\/strong><\/h2>\n