American Airlines has collaborated with fashion designer Brandon Blackwood to create limited-edition travel accessories for premium cabin passengers, featuring his signature checkered patterns and structured handbag designs.

Blackwood, now the first Black designer to create an amenity kit for a major airline, is based in New York and is CEO of an eponymous fashion company that specialises in handbags and shoes.

Celebrity fans include Lupita Nyong'o, Brie Larson, Cardi B, Zoë Kravitz, Solange Knowles, Keke Palmer and Kim Kardashian. Blackwood has designed custom-made gowns for celebrities such as Serena Williams; he dressed Beyoncé on her Renaissance tour.

The amenity kits will be available to premium cabin customers on American's international and select transcontinental flights from now until early September.

Three distinct designs have been created for different service classes: Flagship First and Flagship Suite Preferred seats receive a compact travel version of Blackwood's trademark Portmore handbag in denim with structured design and wraparound zip closure.

Flagship Business and Flagship Suite passengers get a black travel pouch with red zip accents and Blackwood's recognisable checkered interior pattern. Premium Economy customers receive kits featuring the designer's checkered pattern in blue and white on the exterior.Blackwood says: "When this opportunity with American Airlines first arose, I knew I wanted to create designs that were familiar to my brand and could be repurposed as soon as the plane lands. I travelled a lot growing up and used a lot of that inspiration in my designs, so it feels like a full-circle moment seeing my bags in flight and bringing innovation and creativity together."

The collaboration represents American's latest limited-edition amenity kit following its partnership with Raven & Lily in association with Stand Up To Cancer, which helped raise more than US$4.3 million for the organisation.

Heather Garboden, American's chief customer officer, says: "Brandon's bold, fashion-forward designs are the perfect addition to our amenity kit collection, especially as we see our premium customers skewing younger, which is in line with Gen Z investing in luxury items and experiences. From the designers we partner with to the brands we feature on board, American is committed to giving travellers something new to discover and explore well before they get to their destination."