2017
SAMSONITE
Samsonite reached out to i29 in the name
of unification. The international luggage
brand has a diverse portfolio that includes
various sub-brands, as well as a target mar-
ket that spans generations. Incorporating
such variety into Samsonite’s Amsterdam
showroom while expressing a strong brand
identity was the goal.
‘We wanted to convey the idea of
travelling – of being on the road,’ says Del-
lensen. Samsonite was accustomed to a more
By 2017, i29 was basing entire schemes
on a brief’s key element – a studio
signature typified by the design of
Samsonite’s Amsterdam showroom.
literal take on the theme – the client tossed
around the idea of showing large-scale
photos of people in transit, for example –
but i29 wanted to push things further. ‘We
asked ourselves: What is travelling? What is
being on the road?’ The designers arrived at
the more conceptual subject of movement,
which eventually translated into abstract
black-and-white crossroads. ‘It’s a small yet
powerful intervention,’ says Jansen. ‘We’re so
happy when we find such a simple solution.’Jansen calls the monochromatic background
‘strong yet supportive’ – strong in that it
makes a significant impact, yet supportive
enough to accommodate the products’
assorted colours and styles. Finding the
sweet spot between two seemingly contra-
dictory adjectives was becoming a studio
signature of sorts, as was the ability to
extract the important element on which to
base an entire scheme.68 PORTRAITS