The idea came to her while on a business trip to Los Angeles. After treating herself to a new spinner-wheel suitcase, Farino realised how effortless it was to move and how absurd it felt to be dragging heavy bags on her daily commute.
It led to her creating the FARINO Carrier: a chic, top-loading work and travel bag on 360° rollerblade spinner wheels, designed to be stylish and functional.
She took the FARINO Carrier on her commute into the West End and was amazed by how much better she felt. “Most of us are lugging the equivalent of three house bricks every day,” she explains. “That’s a lot for your shoulders and back to cope with. I felt better instantly after ditching a bulging rucksack for the Carrier.”
The FARINO Carrier officially launched at the London Design Fair and quickly picked up momentum. It was later showcased at the French invention show Le Concours Lépine in Paris, caused a bidding frenzy on shopping channel TJC (selling 170 units in under 40 minutes), leading to Paola’s appearance on BBC One’s Dragons’ Den in 2022. While she didn’t secure investment, the bag received glowing praise from the Dragons and connected with viewers who instantly saw the appeal.
After the episode aired, her inbox began filling up, not just with orders, but with stories. Dozens of customers wrote to say how the Carrier was helping them stay steady on their feet, easing joint strain, and giving them back a sense of independence when out and about. For many, it had quietly become more than just a bag.
“It’s been the most humbling part of the whole journey,” Paola says. “I designed it to be smarter and easier, but I didn’t expect it to be something that genuinely helped people feel more mobile and free.”