retail buyer’s guide
RETAIL BUYER’S GUIDE
B AC K PAC KS S S 22
PACKSAFE
Far from crying over the lost sales of travel bags and school packs, brands have shifted their focus to the emerging population of digital nomads that the pandemic has generated. And they have the backpacks that they need. By Rocio Enriquez.
Travel bans and school closures should have been catastrophic for the lifestyle backpack market. However, this category has experienced a true case of “’when one door closes, another opens’. The pandemic safety measures have created new work/ life patterns. A renewed appreciation for outdoors leisure time has been paired with new flexible work routines. This combination has given birth to a new population of digital nomads who need a backpack that carries both their tech and their hiking shoes. The shift in commuting styles to individual types of mobility makes the backpack even more essential. “People are looking for versatile products that they can use on many occasions”, says Domitile Parent, Product Director at Eastpak. Even when the overall sales pick up after schools reopen and travel resumes with normality, the multi-purpose backpack is the style that promises more growth.
“People are looking for versatile products that they can use on many occasions” Domitile Parent, Eastpak
and sustainability for their SS22 collection. Organisation is key. Safety, whether from theft or from a rain down pour, is important when we are carrying valuable tech items around. Durability and environmentally friendly materials are now a steady demand from consumers. Dakine has fused the best of their technical, lifestyle and travel categories together to create The Verge collection. “These are pieces that can shift easily from a daily carry to a travel companion”, describes Luke Smith, lead Lifestyle & Travel designer at Dakine. Eastpak offers the CNNCT (Connect) capsule collection of highly functional pieces. Functionality is at the core of the new brand MUB. Nitro highlights the added laptop compartments and secondary smart entry pockets All brands interviewed share a focus on functionality in their new collection. They have also developed 93
