New materials and fresh colors give the standard tote new life
If tote bags have any kind of cache, carrying a bright Baggu is at the top of the list. Since its release, the affordable Standard Baggu has been made over in bold, graphic prints as well as solid styles in every color of the rainbow. Now Baggu has one-upped…
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Insight on the design process behind the enduring Danish bag brand
Danish bag-maker Mismo was founded 10 years ago by husband-and-wife duo Alexander Bach and Rikke Overgaard, before the notion of the minimal everyday bag became so popular. “I think the reason you might say we develop great bags consistently is because we have this very steady platform from where the design and idiom originates,” explains Bach, pointing out that the inspiration for each new line builds on what they’ve done in the past.
As many an experienced designer knows, there’s no such thing as a completely new shape or idea uninfluenced by what already exists. In this vein, Mismo’s design approach remains robust and contemporary and, at the heart of the pair’s creative process is the quest for detail and functionality. “Seriously, you could put us in a dark room for a few months, completely sheltered from what’s going on in fashion and we’d still crank out bags in line with what you see here,” says Bach with the straightforward and unapologetic frankness so typical of the Scandinavian sentiment toward design.
The spirit of its designers infuses Mismo bags with a real depth of pure function and stripped-down essentials, bags which shrug off frills in favor of continually evolving material selection and intelligent use of color. For Spring 2013, Mismo brings its own unique mustard yellow back into the fray, first seen in 2009 in a collaboration with Storm.
“It’s funny because brighter colors don’t sell well generally,” says Bach, revealing what’s perhaps a counterintuitive strategy for a modern designer. “The mustard color, for instance, we already know won’t sell well but it draws a lot of attention to what we’re doing and is authentic to who we are. Finding the right balance of colors is like creating your own painting. It’s a delicate process.”
The new line features interesting new materials for Mismo, which have been developed over a prolonged period of time. There’s a floral nubuck leather, which has been embossed with a botanical print before being hand-dyed and brushed for a more broken-in feel. There’s also denim sourced from Limonta that shares a similar perfectly worn feel to the touch.
Visit the Mismo website to find online and worldwide retailers.
An all purpose utility bag for the city dwelling outdoor enthusiast
Making expertly crafted products for city dwelling outdoor enthusiasts, NYC’s own Best Made Co. stands at the forefront of the return to our roots movement. “We operate in NYC,” says lead designer Hunter Craighill, “but we focus on the outdoors and the products that get people outside.” To further encourage this call to nature, Best Made is launching a new product each week for the forseable future. First up is the all purpose Gear Bag, made entirely in NYC of mostly American-made materials. Like all Best Made products, the sturdy carry all is attractive enough for the city but built for the great outdoors.
“[The bag] represents a direction we’re moving in, towards being a more full outfitter with apparel, gear and bags. It’s our first bag which we’ve made from scratch, which is exciting for us,” said Craighill. The stiff, three layer construction—heavy waxed cotton canvas outer, impermeable waterproof center and canvas lined interior—gives the bag its rigid form, while a ballistic nylon bottom, brass feet and kevlar handles work together to further its indestructible nature. With one full length exterior pocket and two interior pouch pockets, the all purpose bag features little more than one would need for a weekend away or day on the jobsite.
By using domestically made materials and constructing each piece by hand, Best Made appeals to the conscience consumer looking for something more than just another tote bag. “Part of what we’re doing is trying to produce products that are not disposable, not only because they work well but because you care about them,” said Craighill.
The Gear Bag is available directly from Best Made online for $240. For more information check their site or if you’re in NYC swing by the Best Made workshop friday afternoon’s from noon to six for open house.
La Wheelie Flight Deck è il giusto compromesso tra capienza/dimensione senza rinunciare al bagaglio a mano. Da sempre la mia preferita, ovviamente BRTN.
Four pieces in one modular overnight bag from the Swedish design company
Based in the haven for functional modernist design, Stockholm’s Unit Portables is the brainchild of a group of likeminded individuals educated in product, fashion and technology design. Founder Andreas Ehde and his team of creatives designed a modest range of modular bags for the modern traveler, striving to make the ideal bag for practical, organized mobility. Today Unit Portables announces the addition of four new bags that build off the sleek silhouette of their first tote-style shoulder bag launched under a year ago. Anchored by a moderately sized overnight bag, the new range brings Unit Portables a few steps closer towards international recognition.
Each of the bags, pouches, cases and sleeves are numbered as part of a system, but are free to be used individually or as a whole. Much like the tote, two pouches and iPad sleeve (Units 01-04) released last summer, the overnight bag is denoted by the number 05 rather than a name, along with an accompanying mesh toiletry bag (06), 13″ Macbook case (07) and a small cord organizer pouch (08). The modular pieces can easily be attach with small metal snaps, adding additional storage to either the inside or outside.
Taking a typically Scandinavian approach to design, the unstructured canvas Unit 05 is decisively minimalist throughout. With one large zipper pocket on the exterior, the interior—like the exterior—features three rows of stitched webbing on one side to accommodate Units 06-10. This purpose-driven approach reduces weight and overall footprint while maintaing a cohesive aesthetic throughout the line.
While the industrial-strength canvas lacks a certain sense of luxury, the design team behind Unit Portables see their products as a solution to “fill the gap between boring computer bags and snobbish fashion notebook bags.”
We’re partial to the all-black scheme, but Units 05-08 will also be available in beige, green, russet and navy. Set to officially launch on 27 August, Units 05-08 are now available for pre-order with Unit 05 selling for £80 and the rest to be announced.
Images by Graham Hiemstra
The renowned French designer creates an affordable luggage line inspired by musical structure and rhythm
Founded back in 1946, FPM-Fabbrica Pelletterie Milano is a leather goods brand that has come back in recent years with new captivating projects, with the mission to work “in the name of movement”. With the aim to connect with the world of design, the brand has released collaborations with worldwide renowned figures such as Stefano Giovannoni, Marc Sadler and Marcel Wanders.
FPM’s latest collaboration involves French archistar and designer Jean-Marie Massaud, also known for his previous works with B&B Italia, Axor Hansgrohe, Dior, Poltrana Frau
, Foscarini, Lancôme
and Renault
.
For FPM he has designed a collection of luggage called Globe, due for release in September 2012. The suitcases come in four sizes and are made of 100% pure polycarbonate. The shapes are a synthesis of function and aesthetics, where the technical solutions serve also as visual marks. We had the chance to meet Massaud for an exclusive interview and a preview of the Globe line.
This project is a collection of luggage for every kind of situation: it’s lightweight, solid, resistant, efficient, high level in terms of quality and looks. We tried to reduce instead of adding elements, both functionally and visually. As a result it looks like the archetypal professional luggage for photography equipment and electronic devices, but redefined for common use. However, in order to enjoy it you don’t need to carry complicated electronics or optical products. The shape is just a parallelepiped with smooth edges, with the addition of some ribs (two horizontal and two vertical) that give a bit of structure to the luggage.
The request from FPM was to have no design, no fashion references, no special attention to fancy colors. That’s why we chose a dark blue that is very close to black, a deep and intense khaki (to stay away from a strong military feel but to give a neat sense of efficiency), a red which recalls Chinese lacquer and a very light and warm grey. There’s also a special edition in white, just because we like white.
FPM wanted to make an affordable product: it’s the less expensive of the collection but not because we sacrificed on quality. For this same reason we also searched for a permanent basic item, meant to stay in the collection for a long time. It didn’t have to look trendy or fashionable—on the contrary, the focus was a simple shape and a large volume, so that we could invest more in the study of details and mechanical fittings. We didn’t want to have a simple basic article without allure or identity, but something meant to be long-lasting as a collection and—from the consumers’ point of view—able to stand the patina of time.
We have designed every single part of the suitcase in the constant quest of efficiency and lightness. We strengthened the structure of the wheels to protect and make them super strong with reinforced plastic and glass fiber. The zipper and the stitches are clearly visible to show how good they are. It’s a strong piece of luggage—efficient and robust—and it has to look like it.
We are planning a constant advancement of the project with new materials and innovative production processes, like different fibers for the shell and vacuum-formed neoprene on the inside. This is just a starting point—that’s why we have thought of a very efficient and gimmick-free volume, where the function is the first thing you can read.
At first glance, the surface could recall a sort of monochrome Mondrian painting.
In the future development of the project we foresee adding some pockets, to be placed in the central area defined by ribs. They could be used to place magazines and other flat items, and every customer will have the chance to choose the color, so the suitcase will actually look like an abstract painting. Customization is a clear request from the market—it could be spontaneous (like with souvenir stickers) but we are willing to let people choose some elements of their suitcase.
The first piece I did for an Italian company was the Inout
sofa for Cappellini. When the press saw it they wrote it was “minimalistic and organic”. I thought, “I never care about style, I focus on content. I strive to find a symbolic approach in terms of shape, able to express what’s inside.” I was a little upset with this interpretation, but then I realized this is how my work could be read.
In general I don’t like soft lines and shapes, but at the same time I don’t like a Cartesian way of thinking, where it’s nature against culture. I’m happy when I find a sensual and natural contour, that could be originated by mechanic needs but at the same time could be considered as the link between what’s hidden inside and what is visible outside, between meaning and structure. A simple parallelepiped with smooth edges is boring, unless you read smoothness as a quality. I like to create this kind of dialogue, and in music it’s the same.
I’m not a big connoisseur of contemporary music, but I have studied piano and classical music. In music you need structure and rhythm—if you have complete freedom you get lost but if you only have beat, then it’s boring, the sound becomes artificial and rigid. The combination of these tensions, both in music and design, shouldn’t be a compromise but a constant dialogue.
Hammarhead Industries’ heavy duty backpack meant for motorcycle commuting
Known best for their beautifully bad ass repurposed motorcycles, Philadelphia’s Hammarhead Industries recently unveiled their newest custom creation—the HHI Day Pack. The easy to open roll top bag finds its inspiration in everyday use, designed as a “minimal bag suitable for riding and capable of holding the tools of modern life.” Brooklyn’s d’emploi constructs each bag entirely with American made materials, making this paired down pack your perfect no-frills bag able to take a beating and only get better with wear.
When a client asked for an all purpose bag that’d match the rugged aesthetic of his custom Jack Pine motorcycle, Hammarhead’s designers realized they couldn’t recommend one, so they made it instead. After dissecting over 30 old military bags to see how different materials held up over time with little to no upkeep, they decided on a 15 oz Martexin waxed cotton canvas shell partially wrapped in salvaged leather from a NYC bootmaker for support and protection. For hardware they chose an unbreakable buckle originally made to hold a parachute and nylon webbing from a racing harness manufacturer in the Midwest.
When worn the waterproof bag sits perfectly into the small of your back for a comfortable riding position no matter how heavy the load, and the nylon straps are impressively easy to adjust with a quick pull. Inside the bag you’ll find a large main compartment the exact size of a full bag of groceries—or a 24 pack—and three padded pouches ideal of a laptop, iPad or notebook.
While this beast was specifically built to withstand the abuse of motorcycle commuting while avoiding the over designed look of most messenger bags, it actually works quite well as a bicycle bag as well. The lower leather side pouches are the perfect size for a medium sized u-lock and are conveniently placed in the right position for accessing miscellaneous things like lights, keys or even a water bottle. The HHI Day Pack is available now directly from Hammarhead Industries for $290.
Images by Graham Hiemstra
Cycling specific backpacks and messenger bags custom made in Portland, Oregon
by Hunter Hess
Based in Oregon’s cycling epicenter, Portland’s Black Star Bags has been producing bike-specific backpacks and bags for five years, gaining a strong following throughout the Northwest. Starting with a belt-driven sewing machine his friends found in an alley, owner Dave Stoops has built his company from the ground up by providing high quality, functional bags for everyone from working messengers to weekend commuters.
“I requested a two-week vacation to ride my bike down to San Francisco for the North American Cycle Courier Championships (NACCC) and got denied,” remembers Stoops. “Three weeks later I had left that job and found myself in my sewing studio full time—I think that is officially when Back Star Bags was launched.”
With such humble beginnings as a one-man operation, Stoops has a strong appreciation for his business and considers his employees family. “Not only was I starting to be able to pay my bills, I was helping others out too,” he says. “I’m not exactly sure when it happened but eventually I realized that this was just as important as making a wage for myself.”
Years of touring and messenger experience show in the simple aesthetic and functionality of every piece. Each bag is made from Cordura with ballistic nylon reinforcement and sealed with a heavy-duty vinyl liner to keep water out, creating a completely waterproof storage area. Stoops points out that hours of work and testing went into creating the back supports and shoulder straps, and the extra attention shows in the final product.
The straps and padding are meticulously designed and positioned to allow for the most comfortable fit even while carrying heavy loads or riding for long periods of time. Each bag also features standard safety accessories like reflective bottom strips and loops for attaching lights, but what really sets Black Star apart is their design flexibility. “We will always make and continue to improve our standard bags but we do a lot of one-off projects too,” says Stoops. “Customers often request special features, special pockets, individualized graphics, we’ve even re-created new spec bags from the ground up.”
By working closely with customers and keeping the production process small, open and personal, Black Star is able to create a bag that reflects the wearer—not just the manufacturer. To order a custom bag check Black Star online and for a closer look at the Black Star studio see the slideshow below.
Photography by Hunter Hess
The multidisciplinary designer re-imagines travel in a transformational line
When designer Dror Benshetrit joined with Tumi to create a line of luggage, the unlikely marriage was bound to produce something unique. Rather than imagining this as a simple one-off collaboration, Tumi approached the project as their first line with a third-party designer, opening their heritage to Dror’s creative force. The brand’s commitment to sustainable design and perfectionism was well met with Dror’s hands-on, anything-is-possible approach. Working intimately with Tumi’s design director Victor Sanz, Dror set out to create 11 pieces that exemplified expansion, adaptability and refinement. On a recent visit to Studio Dror, we talked to Sanz and Dror to learn more about this ambitious undertaking.
Dror’s multidisciplinary background is certainly impressive, but luggage remained a mystery to the designer when the project began, and Sanz stepped in to guide him through the unique dilemmas of luggage design. “Imagine you’re flying at 40,000 feet, and the cargo hold gets down to negative 40 degrees, and you land on the tarmac in Dubai and now the cargo hold is this oven,” postulates Sanz. “Materials have a tendency to do very strange things when they start going through these temperature ranges.”
While Tumi refused to produce anything that didn’t match their standards, the field was otherwise open, and Dror was essentially designing for himself as a seasoned traveler and long-time Tumi customer. He would often build in his workshop prototypes that Sanz then turned over to engineers. The thinking seemed to be that if a prototype could be created in Dror’s workshop, then Tumi could find a way to make the real thing.
Acting as cornerstone to the project, the first endeavor was to create an expandable carry-on that could double in size. The sophisticated mechanism uses hinges on all four corners, which collapse to reduce the perimeter of the frame, thus allowing the walls of the bag to fold in on itself. This was a first for Tumi, and the process took years of development and testing to perfect. From a research perspective, the advantage was that this design would anticipate the way people will travel in the future.
“I think that we are all becoming more and more demanding customers,” says Dror. “Three years ago we didn’t walk around with these crazy devices that can access any application, any data, any information. Not to say that it’s good or bad—it’s just a reality of things…The transformation is really about the adaptability to our lifestyle.”
While the form and mechanics of the collection vary between bags, the look remains consistent. “There were a lot of decisions that happened in this collection that started from logic and then became an aesthetic element,” explains Dror. “One of them is the creases. When you think about a sheet that has no strength, one of the easiest ways to give it strength is by giving it creases. So we gave the bag simple ridges, and we actually fell in love with the aesthetic.”
The lines and ridges that run throughout are reminiscent of the QuaDror system, and can be found on everything from polycarbonate shell to the leather handle to the foam liner of the laptop sleeve. The play of light creates unique viewing angles for the entire collection, keeping the look refined yet professional.
While Tumi is justifiably known for their ballistic nylon fabric, Dror saw room for improvement. “Ballistic nylon is a pretty unbelievable fabric because it always looks fresh, it’s super strong, it’s really indestructable. But at the end of the day it’s nylon and it can feel a bit synthetic,” he admits. “We wanted to see how you can make it feel a bit more natural, a bit more organic, and I think that when you’re talking about organic, one of the main things is that the thing is a bit random. So we’ve taken different sizes of yarn and actually created a random order weave from both directions.” This process yielded a unique pattern and color that the team immediately embraced.
The collection also features a custom clasp that is an intuitive and tactile take on the classic option. Each component was hand-machined and calibrated, a necessary expense that guaranties a higher performance than cast metal. The reason for going to these extremes is best summed up by Dror’s promise that “We don’t flash in the pan”. Creating a collection that was entirely new yet built to last a century required custom elements at every level. “Nothing is off the shelf,” adds Sanz.
While the expanding hardcase started the process, some of the smaller, less complicated pieces proved the most troublesome to perfect. Starting with the question “How do you use a dopp kit?”, the team developed a travel kit that lies flat for stowage and stands up for use at the sink. Also suitable for placement over towel rack or the back of a chair, the dopp kit features a hidden compartment for passports, just one of the many details that make travel more enjoyable.
When it came to the backpack, Dror admitted that he loved the practicality but didn’t necessarily think the style fit well into professional settings. In the end, utility won out. “These things are extensions of our bodies,” says Dror, explaining the need for comfort. “Sometimes you spend your entire day with a backpack and your just like attached to this thing physically.” To reconcile the issue, Dror hid the straps and gave users the option to carry the bag as a brief, tote or backpack.
Other pieces benefitted from the research, but weren’t necessarily extremely complicated to create. The travel satchel was meant as an accommodating piece, expandable enough to carry whatever you throw its way. Commenting on the largest of the lot, a four-wheeled suitcase, Dror gushes, “It’s like driving a Bentley.” The benefit of fusing tech aspects with luxury details is evident throughout, from the hand-placed leather on handles to the specially fabricated plush mesh interior liner.
The Dror for Tumi Collection is available online and in stores.
The Nomadic Pack stashes a hideaway hammock and detachable messenger bag
In surfing, as in traveling, the feeling of setting out into the unknown makes the adventure worth the risk. Run by 11-time world surf champion Kelly Slater and backed by Quicksilver, the recently launched surf lifestyle brand VSTR takes this pioneering spirit as inspiration. As an artistically driven company, VSTR—pronounced visitor—was drawn to collaborate with NYC’s Partners & Spade, enlisting the creative collective to help in the ideation and design of their first piece of luggage. The result is the Nomadic Pack—an adventure-ready carryall designed to withstand the rigors of extended travel by the “coastal nomad“.
Big enough to hold weeks’ worth of gear, the expansive bag accommodates this intrepid way of life with a stowable lightweight hammock—the stuffsack-style bed-in-a-bag packs away into a small bottom compartment—and a heavy-duty detachable messenger bag that zips off from the outer layer. In fact, the bag is designed to conveniently fit the entire VSTR clothing line,so one is theoretically always fully outfitted while on the road.
The collaboration waxed canvas carryall is part of VSTR’s first line of softgoods and will be available 25 June 2012 exclusively through Partners & Spade and VSTR online for $395.
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