DROR FOR TUMI UNVEILED IN A DRAMATIC INSTALLATION CREATED BY LONDON-BASED THEATRE DIRECTOR JULES WRIGHT AT MOST (MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY) FOR SALONE DEL MOBILE IN MILAN
TUMI embarks on next generation with groundbreaking collection by internationally renowned designer
DROR BENSHETRIT. DROR FOR TUMI represents pinnacle of design innovation for leading travel, business and lifestyle brand.
Tumi, the leading international travel, business and lifestyle accessories brand, will introduce Dror for Tumi
—its first ever collaboration with an external designer to create a new product line – at MOST on April 18 2012
at the Salone del Mobile in Milan.
Developed by award-winning designer Dror Benshetrit, the eleven-piece collection incorporates groundbreaking features that adapt for multiple uses and respond to the multifaceted lifestyle of today’s traveler. With several new patents pending—from design to materials—and a sophisticated new look, Tumi is once again poised to change the way we travel.
“In our desire to continuously innovate, we seek a partner with a shared design philosophy who also brings a fresh perspective. Dror’s exceptional reputation for innovative, research-based designs that transform and adapt to users’ needs along with his impassioned vision made him a perfect fit to craft the next generation of Tumi bags,” said Tumi CEO Jerome Griffith.
Seeking to develop a series of long-lasting, versatile products in which purpose and function are paramount without sacrificing elegance or aesthetic detailing, Dror and Tumi spent 18 months conducting extensive research and prototyping. Pushing the boundaries of engineering and manufacturing further than ever before, the resulting collection includes hardside cases and soft travel and business bags capable of dynamic “transformation.”
“I essentially set about designing for myself—I’m constantly on the go, carrying different things and switching modes of transportation—from an iPad to gym clothes, from the workday to the night out; between quick business trips and the all-too-rare vacation; in and out of airports, speeding cross town on my motorcycle. More than ever, we expect our products to simply, effortlessly and elegantly fulfill all of our needs. Those that succeed become an indispensable extension of us and our lives,” said Dror Benshetrit.
With this in mind, eight of the bags transform in some way—expanding or literally changing shape to accommodate different functions or modes of use. The International Carry-On, the first-ever expandable zipper-less hardside, is a model of versatility and ingenious engineering. The revolutionary two-wheeled case allows for four different size options through a two-stage expansion via a “living hinge” that makes it possible to adjust the bag’s depth and double its overall capacity.
A highly versatile backpack easily shifts to a tote or brief, simply by adjusting the straps to carry by hand, on the back, or over the shoulder. A briefcase offers two bags in one—a workaday medium capacity bag slims down to a sleek, elegant case suitable for a slim laptop. Even the travel kit has been re-imagined for various packing and usage styles. When opened it can be packed flat or hung from a fixture; when closed it takes on a more traditional shape that fits snugly in packing cases and sits easily on vanities.
“I’ve long been a TUMI owner and have great respect for their design excellence, quality and vision. It’s not until you dive into a brand that you realize how intensive it is to engineer and perfect their product. It’s not easy to do something new, but their commitment to the innovation process has been unlike any other,” said Dror.
At Dror’s urging, Tumi has reexamined and enhanced their signature ballistic textile for the first time since it revolutionized the luggage industry in the 1980s. Working with textile engineers, Dror and Tumi developed a new weave for the material that reflects light differently, imparting a completely modern look and a more organic feel, while maintaining its ability to withstand the tremendous wear and tear that bags undergo in the context of contemporary air travel. Paired with brown leather trim and hand-milled brass clasps on the soft pieces in the collection, this innovative use of ballistic makes the bags feel at once cutting-edge and classic.
Dror also pushes the Tumi aesthetic into the future with the development of an iconic faceted panel that imparts a continuous architectural language across the entire collection, imbuing it with a unique visual identity. Applied on the hard cases, which are made from Tumi’s signature highly durable lightweight triple-layer ABS/polycarbonate in a unique brown/black colorway unique to this collection, the creases on the front panel increase the strength and rigidity of the outer shell; on the soft pieces, the facet is applied to outer leather pockets as a signature element; and on the lightweight nylon lining of the cases, it is a featured pattern element. Fusing the highest level of functionality with a modern, sophisticated look, cutting-edge materials and expert manufacturing, these stylish details speak to long-time Tumi devotees as much as to a new wave of progressive and savvy globetrotters.
About Tumi
Tumi is the leading international brand of premium travel, business and lifestyle accessories. Tumi’s heritage of design excellence is one that appeals to the world’s most sophisticated and demanding consumers who choose only the best international brands to complement their unique lifestyles. The brand is sold in 200 Tumi stores from New York to Paris to London and Tokyo, as well as the world’s top department and specialty stores and travel retail in more than 65 countries. Tumi’s success over the past three decades can be traced to its continual focus on its founding principles of design excellence, functional superiority, technical innovation, best-in-class quality and outstanding customer service.
www.tumi.com
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About Dror
Since 2002, Dror Benshetrit has developed an interdisciplinary practice based in New York City specializing in innovative design projects. A student of the Eindhoven Design Academy in Holland, his work explores the essence of movement, space and forms and aspires toward the transformative power of design. Rooted in a rigorous methodology, every project is driven by the desire to unleash the mutable and non-static nature of objects. In collaboration with a team of experts, Dror conducts thorough research focusing on materials, technology and geometry.
His portfolio encompasses product design, architectural projects, interior design and creative direction. His international roster of clients include Alessi, Bentley, Boffi, Bombay Sapphire, Cappellini, Kiehl’s, Levi’s, Lualdi, Material ConneXion, Maya Romanoff, Marithé + François Girbaud, Puma, Rosenthal, Skins Footwear, Yigal Azrouël, Shvo, Swarovski, and Target. Dror has lectured around the world and received numerous design awards including the GE Plastics Competition “Merging Boundaries” (2001), the iF Product Design Award (2006), and the Good Design Award (2008, 2010). He has attracted international media coverage and has been widely exhibited. His work is included in the permanent collections of major museums in North America, Europe and the Middle East.
Press Contacts:
Sarah Natkins – Camron PR
sarah.natkins@camronpr.com
Melanie Courbet – Studio Dror
melanie@studiodror.com
High Resolution Images:
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