With the design of the TUMI flagship store, Studio Dror merges utility and beauty in an environment stylishly fit for merchandising and transactions. Located on Madison Avenue in New York City, day bags hang or sit on shelves, travel cases rest on clean white platforms reminiscent of a runway, and small leather goods reside on off-white lacquer tables.
When you look at a TUMI bag, there’s a lot of logic and reasoning behind the design. Whether you’re creating a bag or a store, you’re designing the same for that customer. We wanted to add a sense of hierarchy within the space to provide a seamless experience – moments where the customer is guided towards what they are looking for, says Studio Dror founder Dror Benshetrit.
There's a stainless-steel counter in the travel area that doubles as a demonstration table, and highlighting the centre of the space is the first-ever monogramming station for on-the-spot product personalisation.
Embodying Studio Dror’s philosophy of transformation, the use of angles provides a backdrop for the store’s products to shine. Upon entering the space, a strikingly high ceiling evokes a sense of airiness and structured scaling, while walnut-finished wooden fins artfully delineate the space to draw the visitor further in. Custom-designed fixtures create a subtle directional current that guides the eye around the space and over the products on display. Seaforth marble plank floors laid in an asymmetrical pattern tie the colour palette together, while state-of-the-art LED lighting and polished metal fixtures with wooden detail further enhance the store's offering.
But the interactive elements really make TUMI’s products come alive. A flat-screen television streams the brand’s seasonal campaigns, while a distinctive installation on the second floor façade features the TUMI logo. At night, the brand’s signature red illuminates the space and serves as a beacon for passers-by.
The TUMI flagship store opened on 17 October 2013.
