TUMI and McLaren Team Up to Launch Premium Capsule Luggage Line
Every now and then, an unlikely pairing in the business world produces sheer brilliance. This is the case as luggage
Ivy Griffith
Every now and then, an unlikely pairing in the business world produces sheer brilliance. This is the case as luggage brand TUMI and luxury race car brand McLaren partner up for a surprising – but completely practical – new line. The US-based luggage brand and the Formula One company have announced that they’re releasing a capsule luggage line. With customers who travel often and an eye for beauty, McLaren was the perfect company to team up with TUMI and offer something new and exciting.
TUMI and McLaren – the Perfect Pair
While the partnership between TUMI and McLaren may sound surprising at first, it’s as natural as can be. Formula One drivers and fans are always on the go – and both brands are forward-thinking, with a keen mind for luxury, fashion, and function. So the news that they were releasing a new capsule luggage line together is exciting, promising a peerless blend of the best both brands have to offer.
A press release for the pairing explains, “TUMI, the leading international travel and lifestyle brand, today unveils its new collection designed and developed in partnership with luxury supercar maker and Formula 1 team, McLaren.
McLaren’s designers, engineers, and racers travel thousands of miles around the world each year in pursuit of perfection. Just as each driver relies on their car to get them across the finish line, the team depends on their luggage and travel necessities to get them to their destination. That inspiration is manifest in the superior made-to-last quality of the collection.
For over 45 years, TUMI has built a reputation for innovation, functionality and durable design, with a focus on optimizing the journeys of global citizens. Since announcing in 2019 that the two companies would work together, TUMI’s Creative Director Victor Sanz and Rob Melville, McLaren’s supercar Design Director, have created a premium capsule collection of elegant business, travel and everyday essentials. Each piece is designed to uncomplicate, while elevating
performance in all aspects of life on the move.
From automotive to sports, TUMI is inspired by the world’s most innovative industries. For McLaren — a renowned global leader in embedding cutting-edge technology into products with a clear design aesthetic — travel and lifestyle are integral.
The two brands share the common vision of continually pursuing higher levels of excellence, which is reflected in the considered details and choice of materials in the McLaren inspired TUMI range. Embodying TUMI and McLaren’s mutual ethos of performance luxury, the capsule collection is comprised of nine pieces. Each encompasses elements of McLaren’s sleek, bold supercars and race cars. All are highlighted with McLaren’s signature Papaya colorway and feature CCX6® carbon fibre accents.
Key travel pieces include the Aero International Expandable 4 Wheel Carry-On and the Quantum Duffel. The carry-on is crafted in a hybrid of materials, including Tegris®, an extremely hard-wearing thermoplastic composite found in race cars. The hard shell is contrasted by a molded-fabric front panel with a supercar-influenced design that is echoed throughout the collaboration.
This solid build allows the collection to protect the contents it carries, incorporating further elements of McLaren’s supercar designs. The interior features a compression strap that takes its cues from the six-point racing harnesses found in its race cars and track-only models such as the limited-edition McLaren Senna GTR.”
The Velocity Backpack is designed for connectivity with a USB port and a specially designed padded laptop compartment. The Torque Sling and Lumin Utility Pouch are less heavy-duty pieces for everyday use. The Orbit Small Packing Cube, Trace Expandable Organizer, and split compartment Teron Travel Kit are all signed with function, organization, and portability in mind.
In the press release, both Sanz and Melville added their thoughts on the partnership; “‘When I first met with Victor to define the collection we quickly realized that we each brought a shared creative vision for what we wanted to achieve. At McLaren we focus on articulating a clear design language and materials selection which combines and leads into our car’s performance. We wanted to capture those aspects with TUMI, so we’ve spent a great deal of time working to analyze and refine every aspect of this collection. The result is something that I am incredibly proud of and that I believe will elevate the owner’s experience while serving as a reminder that, like our cars, it’s about enjoying the journey and not simply the destination.’
Rob Melville, Design Director for McLaren Automotive.
‘For me, this is the ultimate collaboration as TUMI and McLaren have an innate synergy. We’re two like-minded brands who share the same values—unparalleled quality, technical innovation and design excellence. The value of this partnership, however, extends beyond the product. With a keen focus on lifestyle, we design for the betterment of the customer experience. With McLaren’s advanced technology and our top-of-the-line materials, our gear can tackle the most arduous excursions and still effortlessly translate into daily life.’ Victor Sanz, Creative Director, TUMI.”
If you’re ready to add your very own TUMI + McLaren pieces to your collection, head over to TUMI.com.
McLaren’s Artura Drives Customers into the Future
While McLaren’s partnership with TUMI is new and exciting, it’s not the only big news for the Formula One company. In February, they unveiled plans for their Artura – a super-connected supercar hybrid with a sleek and futuristic look. McLaren is always striving to blend technology and form, and the Artura promises to be the perfect pairing of the two. With a low-profile nose and the futuristic look a hybrid deserves, the Artura promises to be the most affordable hybrid luxury supercar option in the industry, running about $225K compared to competitors which start at $500K.
TUMI Also Looks to the Future
McLaren and TUMI work so well together precisely because both companies have their eyes on the horizon while also focusing on being the best they can for the planet we already live on. TUMI focuses on sustainability and form, function and fashion.
In an interview with Augustman, Sanz explains the company’s dedication to being sustainable while driving forward; “Sustainability has always been core to the Tumi brand – it’s woven into the fabric of everything we do. Our planet is an astonishing place and we believe it’s our responsibility to preserve it. Our focus on sustainability starts with design and the inherent DNA of the brand that migrates beyond a singular, seasonal function. Tumi is built to last and built to repair – we design products that don’t need to be replaced and are not disposable. By putting excellence and quality first, we ensure that every Tumi product has lifelong purpose. The Tumi global repair network contributes to this goal by empowering products to be used and carried even longer. If something goes wrong, we’ll fix it. If it breaks, we’ll repair it. This means fewer bags end up in the landfill.
On top of this, we are marrying the idea of technology and innovation with sustainability. You don’t have to choose one over the other. We are developing recycled materials and production processes that adhere to our rigorous testing standards and resulting in products that last.”
Sanz also adds that he believes the pandemic has changed the way we travel, and will for some time to come. The industry great believes people will treasure their time away even more now that we know what it’s like to not be able to travel freely.
The Perfect Pair
It’s clear that both TUMI and McLaren share the same values and vision. The luggage line they’ve teamed up for will meet the needs of a broad customer base. If we’re lucky, maybe this is just the start of something beautiful and we’ll see more collaboration between the two. For now, we’re ready to grab our first TUMI + McLaren piece and hit the skies.