A Frequent Flier on What’s Always in His Bag
If there’s one person who knows the importance of a good carry-on (and, ahem, Global Entry) it’s Victor Sanz. As creative director of TUMI, he and his design team aim to create timeless, durable, design-forward pieces that work overtime. A constant traveler, he’s always pulling from his surroundings, “from art and architecture to music and design and everything in-between,” to inspire new collections. “We live in a global society and our customers do too,” he says. We visited with Sanz in his NoMad studio to talk style, TUMI’s latest collection, and his travel tips–including the one thing he can’t leave home without.
“Everything, we look at all aspects of the world for our inspirations from art and architecture to music and design and everything in-between.”
For TUMI’s most recent collection, Sanz and the design team found inspiration in their own backyard. “The bright palette and prints were inspired by the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art, and the earthy colorways were found farther upstate in the Catskills and the Hudson River Valley.”
Global Travel, Sanz-Style
We asked the creative director a few rapid-fire questions on his travel essentials:
Best airport lounge: “Too many good ones now to name just one, but I’m a fan of Lufthansa in Frankfurt. Having a ‘time-out’ there is extra relaxing.”
Favorite travel meal: “Unagi in Japan with my good friend Ivan and his family.”
Preferred time to pack: “Night before, as I’m usually catching an early AM flight.”
The one thing you can’t travel without: “Music. I make my own playlists on iTunes that have a little bit of everything from hip hop to punk rock. Right now, I’m into Rodrigo y Gabriela.”
Favorite city: “Tokyo and New York.”
Travel accessory MVP: “Nike Zvezdochka Sneakers by Marc Newson.”
Carry-on or check: “Carry-on.”
Packing rules: “Know the weather at your destination; keep your color palette simple so mixing and matching is easy; bring plenty of power for your electronics; lay out everything you think you’ll need and cut that in half–we all overpack!”
Travel perk: “Meeting new people and trying something different or unexpected.”
Best airport hack: “Smile, be polite, have patience, and carry on. Also: Global Entry.”
