The Secret Behind Tumi's Designs
Victor Sanz became fascinated with the world of fine art from an early age through paintings, sketches, and sculptures. Aiming to further pursue art and design, he majored in industrial design at the Pratt Institute in New York. He joined Tumi—the global company that sells everything from business bags to travel trunks and backpacks for everyday use—in 2003 and has been creative director since 2016. He is guiding Tumi's brand vision into the future, with the motto of "bridging the gap between art, design and fashion."
Sanz came to Japan for the opening of Tumi Omotesando—the first flagship store in the Asia-Pacific region—which opened on December 21. The store is approximately 160 square meters, and features a one-floor space filled with pleasant natural light with design inspired by Tumi's signature collection, 19 Degree. At the center of the store, original artwork by Michael Murphy of Perceptual Art is displayed, creating a space with a strong sense of an art gallery.
We spoke with creative director Victor Sanz about Tumi's brand philosophy and the thoughts behind its products.
Esquire Philippines: Tumi's wide range of collections is eye-catching. If I am going to use Tumi for the first time, what collection do you recommend to start with?
Victor Sanz: Definitely the 19 Degree and the Alpha Collection.
19 Degree is a collection specialized for travel, and Alpha is Tumi's representative collection for business use. Why did you choose these two?
These two collections are the ones that make it easy to feel the Tumi DNA most clearly. Many Tumi users are industry leaders and people who are always focused on performance. When it comes to design, they are particular about details and prefer smart designs. From this point of view, the 19 Degree and Alpha collections are packed with all of Tumi's charm.
What is Tumi's DNA?
Since our founding in 1975, our manufacturing philosophy has been to "make people's lives easier and more beautiful to move around in." It doesn't matter how big or small the move is, from traveling abroad to daily commuting. To this end, we constantly conduct very detailed observations and analyses of how our customers' lives are changing, and we use this information especially when creating the details of our products.
For example?
When the iPad came out into the world, we realized that the need to carry around a heavy laptop would be dramatically reduced. We are constantly adjusting our products and updating them to suit the contents of the bag. The same applies to the post-corona world. Data clearly shows that in a post-coronavirus society, travel periods will become longer. It has become essential to produce products that can withstand these conditions. Tumi is always with our customer base, and at the root of this is the idea that our customers are our muses.
With the evolution of digital devices, the amount of luggage I carry has decreased recently. You don't even need to carry a bag. It may seem paradoxical, but I hear many people say, "Because of this situation, people are becoming more particular about the bags they choose.'' Among them, what is the decisive difference between Tumi and other brands?
We release not only bags but also eyewear, fragrances, and a variety of other items, but we believe that the user experience is the most important aspect of all of these items. We approach the customer's experience by imagining the story and scene of how the item will be used. In other words, we do not believe in the idea that "the product comes first," but rather the starting point is always the customer, and the scenes and lifestyles that the customer experiences.
Hearing that story reminded me of Tumi's fragrance UNWIND [20:00 GMT].
It's a scent that was created with the image of the "UNWIND" scene, which gently loosens the stiffness of a traveler at the end of the day or relaxing in a hotel after a trip. This way of thinking based on the daily life experiences of users is at the root of Tumi.
People are often surprised by Tumi's bags, saying, "There's so much storage, and every place is thought of."
In the first place, simply creating beautiful objects may be easier than you think. But how it works is what matters. Moreover, is it a simple and intelligent item, which is what we are aiming for? I believe that our commitment to these points is what makes us unique, not found in other brands.
What do you think defines Tumi's uniqueness out of your latest releases?
How about the Minaudière from the 19 Degree collection? It can be used as a clutch bag or as a shoulder bag with a strap. Moreover, changing from clutch to shoulder can be done smartly and simply. There is also a built-in removable zipper pocket that can be used like a wallet. I think that products that look simple but are actually particular about how to use them, or in other words, "Go Beyond the Normal" products, are very typical of Tumi.
On Thursday, December 21, 2023, Tumi Omotesando was completely renovated and opened as the world's first new concept store.
This is the first flagship store in the Asia Pacific region. What was important to me when I was involved in the design was the message of "always pushing the Tumi brand forward." While being strongly aware of the elements of Tokyo and Omotesando, I thought about how to express this in conjunction with Tumi's products. While inheriting the brand's tradition, it is also fresh and original. I think the Tumi style is expressed in such a good balance. Our entire team is proud that we have created a place where our customers will surely have a wonderful experience.
From:Â Esquire JP
