**Exhibit 31.1**

 

**CERTIFICATION BY PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVEOFFICERPURSUANT TOSECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002**

 

I,Marcello Bottoli, certify that:

 

1.                                       I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-Kof Samsonite Corporation:

 

2.                                       Based on my knowledge, this annual reportdoes not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state amaterial fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of thecircumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading withrespect to the period covered by this annual report;

 

3.                                       Based on my knowledge, the financialstatements, and other financial information included in this annual report,fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results ofoperations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periodspresented in this annual report;

 

4.                                       The registrant’s other certifying officersand I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls andprocedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e))for the registrant and have:

 

(a)          Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused suchdisclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, toensure that material information relating to the registrant, including itsconsolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities,particularly during the period in which this annual report is being prepared;

(b)         Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls andprocedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectivenessof the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period coveredby this report based on such evaluation; and

(c)          Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internalcontrol over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s fourthfiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely tomaterially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

5.                                 The registrant’s other certifying officersand I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal controlover financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committeeof the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing equivalentfunctions):

(a)                                  All significant deficiencies and materialweaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financialreporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’sability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

(b)                                 Any fraud, whether or not material, thatinvolves management or other employees who have a significant role in theregistrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

 
| ** **              | **By** | /s/ Marcello Bottoli |                                  |
|-------------------------|--------|----------------------|---------------------------------------|
|                    |   | Name:                | Marcello Bottoli                      |
|                    |   | Title:               | President and Chief Executive Officer |
|                    |   |                 |                                  |
| Date: May 15, 2006 |   |                 |                                  |
|                         |        |                      |                                       |  |

 

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