Samsonite appoints new global creative director

Luggage and accessories label Samsonite has appointed a new global creative director.

The international travel bag and luggage brand has appointed Christopher Pearson to the role, replacing Quentin Mackay, who has been Samsonite’s global creative director since January 2005.

He will take the helm at the beginning of next month.

Pearson has previously worked on collections for Dunhill, Lanvin, Louis Vuitton, Yves St Laurent and Hermès in both a freelance and in-house capacity, according to Richard Brett, Samsonite global vice president of marketing and communications.

Brett reveals that Pearson has been tasked with bringing ‘his own style with the Samsonite values of style, quality, functionality, innovation and durability’ to the Samsonite Black Label, Samsonite and American Tourister brands.

Pearson will be based at Samsonite’s offices in London, heading up the global design function, comprising a team of 15 in London with counterpart offices in the US and Asia.

Samsonite will continue to work with external design consultancies on a ‘minority of projects’, which Pearson will also oversee, according to Brett.

In addition, he will work with Samsonite’s marketing, advertising and PR functions on campaigns, feeding into the look and identity of the brand.

The role of global creative director was established under the leadership of Samsonite president and chief executive Marcello Bottoli, in January 2005 with Quentin Mackay’s appointment. Mackay was first person to have held the role, according to Brett.

Previously chief executive of Louis Vuitton, Bottoli’s aim in creating a global creative director role was to help globalise Samsonite, which had been, up until that point, a regionalised company with regionalised marketing and retail functions.

‘Marcello’s aim was to globalise Samsonite. It is much more efficient and cohesive to have global products available to consumers around the world, with global advertising,’ says Brett.

He adds, ‘Samsonsite has always been at the forefront of innovation, that has been our heritage – from introducing new lightweight materials back in the 1950s, to the first four wheeled luggage in the 1990s or fashion prints in the 1960s, it’s important we drive and lead the category forward.’