Tumi has teamed up with some great talent—both established and upcoming—in its recent campaigns. How do you choose who represents the brand? 
Our ambassadors are not one-and-done ambassadorships—what we’re doing is growing partnerships. We have long discussions about who the right people are to represent the brand, and for me that’s these up-and-comers, like [American singer] Reneé Rapp, who are really pushing the limits of what they’re able to accomplish. 

When we first started working with Lando Norris, he was a younger driver—the second driver at McLaren—and over the years he matured and became this really driven individual pursuing his passions not just through Formula 1, but also in his other endeavours. Similarly, our customers are multi-faceted individuals who are on that grind. They’re pursuing their passions and travelling all the time. They’re road warriors in their own right. 

How would you describe the next generation of travellers? 
After the pandemic, people’s appreciation for travel has [heightened]. The world had been moving at such a fast pace that many people weren’t appreciating [the essence of] travel—they’d go to a city for two or three days, but there wasn’t any [deep] connection to the destination they were travelling to.

Now, they’re looking off the tourist map for experiences that are outside the norm. If they’re going to New York, for example, they may not stay in Manhattan, they might stay in the outer boroughs. You’re going to see more of these excursions, which is fantastic because it builds community and a deeper understanding of the world.

How are Tumi’s collections responding to this new generation of travellers and their needs? 
The next generation of travellers are also looking to express themselves through the pieces they carry. They’re appreciating travel more and also understanding the importance of having a quality product that’s an extension of their persona and their values.

One minute, they could be in a boardroom and the next minute, they’re out with their friends. We want our products to operate in such a way that they can be used seamlessly in both scenarios. Take our Georgica tote—it can be used day to day, but it can also be used as a business piece if you need it to be. We continue to study our customers, and our job is to understand them, meet their needs and evolve with them. 

Another example is the Nomadic Expedition collection for leisure travellers who want to venture out and go hiking or camping, but need that same backpack to work when they travel for business. 

The products we create are designed to make the journey easier so you can enjoy the moment you’re in. Whether you’re on vacation or travelling for business, you want a product that’s intelligent and reliable. It’s performance luxury—built so you can perform better. 

What, in your opinion, is the difference between good design and great design? 
It’s going that extra step to really think about how the user is going to use the product and what their experience is going to be. Taking that extra effort to make it as easy as possible, that’s what makes [a design] great. 

There’s a reason why when we use a product, we can’t define what makes it easy to use. But when it doesn’t work right, that’s what really jumps out. Smart design just kind of disappears—it’s effortless, and you get to just enjoy the product.

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