HONG KONG — Here’s why luggage and travel accessories brand Tumi’s latest ambassador is the perfect choice: a) He’s a Tumi user of 10 years, b) Like Tumi, he is both aesthetically pleasing and functional, and c) He’s traveled everywhere — and if you count his fictional adventures, even outer space.
Known for his earlier work as Andy Dwyer in Parks and Recreation, but best known as Jurassic World’s dino-whisperer Owen Grady and Marvel’s Peter Quill/ Star-Lord, Pratt admits that he lives out of his suitcase. Mind you, that suitcase is most likely from the new Tumi Alpha 3 collection. A remastered version of its iconic Alpha collection introduced in 1983, the new line features the brand’s signature Ballistic Nylon material, originally used by the military to protect WWII troops from shrapnel. Tumi incorporated this ultra-tough material into its luggage designs to make bags that are tough enough to withstand wear-and-tear, while looking incredibly handsome. In terms of design and durability, it’s what seasoned travelers might call the “alpha” of travel bags, making Pratt, an alpha in his own right, the perfect face for it.
During his recent visit to Hong Kong, Pratt was officially introduced to Asia as the face of Tumi’s latest campaign. At the press conference, he revealed that he has been a Tumi fan for 10 years. “I probably have over 20 Tumi products. Right now I’m using the Alpha 3 backpack. You can charge your phone off of it. I have a Tumi briefcase that I’ve had for over 10 years,” Pratt shared.
He values durability most of all, which is at the core of the Alpha 3 and Alpha Bravo collections. “Let’s be honest. [Baggage handlers] throw the thing 40 feet in the air, it will fall off back of a truck, they get run over. They don’t treat your luggage with the same respect that we do with our own luggage. So the durability factor is really important. I don’t like having to replace something every year; I think if you buy something it should last you a lifetime and Tumi luggage is durable. Victor Sanz, Tumi’s creative director, has done an amazing job at really thinking of everything down to finest detail. Everything is stylish, sleek, beautiful, and durable,” he said. He believes it could even survive a dinosaur attack! We don’t doubt it, Chris.
The Alpha 3 updates include a cleaner, more refined aesthetic, as well as a little something extra for the always connected, always on-the-go traveler: an integrated USB Power Port in carry-on bags. Tumi also added dual-access entry, a modernized front face with protective rails, full access front pocket, a leather rain flap on bags, and dual-coil security zippers. The newest luggage style is the Tall 4 Wheel Dufeel Packing Case, while the new bags include the Slim 3-Way Brief, and the Expandable Tote — all available in Black Ballistic, Black leather, and anthracite with brown leather trim. Seasonal pattern Graphic Congo will also be available.
Pratt, who spends around half the year on the road, likes to narrow it down to essentials when it comes to packing. “I like to take a note with me from my son. I bring a Bible. I bring a necklace. I bring a Rubik’s cube and I bring a laptop.” He added, “I haven’t always been great at packing. It helps that my fiancé is really great at packing; she helps me pack. One thing I’m really excited about is the Tumi Packing Cubes. I’m a roller of clothes — I mean Catherine — rolls my clothes up. You can stack all the cubes up in your luggage and it’s really organized. I have two carry-on bags that can fit two weeks worth of clothes.”
After the press conference, Pratt made an appearance for fans at the Tumi Loft — an ode to the brand’s sleek and industrial New York roots, as well as a gallery of its latest collections — in Pacific Place in Hong Kong.
Looking back at the past years that he spent traveling all over the world to film movies and do press rounds, he also shared some words of travel wisdom, “Roll with the punches. Understand that sometimes you can plan your journey and choose your journey, and sometimes the journey is going to choose you.” It’s a very Star-Lord thing to say, and it is also aligned to the lifestyle that carrying a Tumi bag allows him to enjoy. No journey is perfect, but with the right bag, you could come pretty darn close.
TUMI is exclusively distributed in the Philippines by the Primer Group of Companies and is located at Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center Cebu, Podium, Shangri-La Plaza, Power Plant Mall and Solaire Resort & Casino. For information, visit http://tumi.com.
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