These Tumi travel essentials are inspired by McLaren supercars
McLaren enjoyed a rather strong start to the 2021 Formula One season, with both cars finishing in the points as young British hotshot Lando Norris ended the race just one spot shy of the podium. If you've been paying close attention to the MCL35M and the many new sponsor stickers slapped across its 'Papaya' bodywork, you might have noticed that Tumi has stayed on as one of the team's backers for the new season. The luxury luggage label has been a McLaren partner for a couple of years already. And while the latter shows what it can do on the tarmac, the former ramps up its style game with a brand new, McLaren-themed travel collection.
Since the collaboration began in 2019, Tumi's creative director Victor Sanz and McLaren's supercar design director Rob Melville have worked closely to create a premium capsule collection of business, travel and everyday essentials. For 2021, the duo have rolled out the Aero International Expandable 4 Wheel Carry-On and the Quantum Duffel aimed at business travellers who want to keep their valuables - which presumably includes their McLaren luggage - close. The carry-on is crafted in a hybrid of materials, including something called Tegris, an extremely hard-wearing thermoplastic composite found in race cars.
The collection also includes a laptop-swallowing Velocity Backpack, Torque Sling and Lumin Utility Pouch. The Orbit Small Packing Cube, Trace Expandable Organizer, and split compartment Teron Travel Kit are the smaller pieces in the collection designed to keep ultra-portable accessories protected in fashion. Since they draw inspiration from McLaren and all the sporty ideals it stands for, most of these travel essentials feature supercar-derived design cues, the brand's signature Papaya colourway and CX6 carbon fibre accents.
Judging by the promotional shots, all items in the collection should complement the McLaren GT nicely. The 2+2 grand tourer with 612bhp is arguably Woking's most practical road car to date, with a whopping 570 litres of space to offer. For those of us who can't afford the RM908k (before taxes and options) car, its Tumi luggage offshoot is probably the closest we'll ever get to owning a set of wheels with official McLaren branding.
The McLaren-inspired collection will be available for viewing at Tumi's Pavilion and KLCC outlets from 15 April 2021.
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 analyse 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
