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F1 star Lando Norris is used to navigating some hairpin turns on the race track, but the driver is taking a new turn in front of the camera for the latest TUMI luggage campaign.
The McLaren Formula 1 driver stars as the face of TUMI’s all-new “Turin Collection,” which features leather bags, backpacks and accessories that “push the boundaries of performance luxury,” per a release.
Crafted from Italian leather and finished with metal hardware (including TUMI’s new “T” logo), the Turin Collection offers an elegant and elevated take on the brand’s offerings, which are as suited for travel as they are for work. There are seven new styles in total, including crossbody slings, tote bags and small leather goods. Prices range from $250 to $1,495 online at TUMI.com.
Norris has been a longtime TUMI ambassador, and the athlete says the new campaign photos — which see him posing with the bags against the backdrop of the French Riviera — are among his favorite set yet.
“I’m pretty much always traveling, whether it’s for work, or shorts trips, and TUMI is a brand I’ve admired and trusted for years,” he tells Variety. “We share the same passion for our craft, which is why it’s such a natural fit. The past three years working with TUMI have been an incredible journey, and this new campaign is definitely a highlight of our work together.”
While Norris undoubtedly has plenty of TUMI pieces at his disposal, he says the “Turin [collection] has already become a staple in my travel wardrobe,” adding that the new pieces are “designed for the traveler who doesn’t want to compromise on style or quality.”
After all, he explains, “Luggage is more than just a travel accessory — it’s a reflection of your style as well, so it helps that TUMI’s bags are a fashion statement.”
Norris’ travel style may be improving thanks to the new Turin pieces, but the jetsetter admits his packing style still needs some work. “I tend to be an over-packer, but I’m trying to be more organized and intentional with it,” he says, referencing TUMI packing cubes as “an absolute game changer. Still, he admits, “I sometimes find myself throwing things in at the end.”
There are just a few races left in the 2024 F1 season and Norris is looking to finish off the year strong, as he heads into this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix trailing only Max Verstappen in the driver’s standings. McLaren, meantime, has a real shot at winning this year’s Constructor’s Championships. The racing season ends in December, after which Norris will go on a much-deserved vacation.
Norris’ TUMI bags have taken him all around the world for F1 races, but the driver says his favorite trip this year was one that was off the track. “Absolutely [it] had to be caving in Hang Son Doong, Vietnam,” he says. “It was such a surreal experience, and something I’ve never done before, but being off-grid, completely secluded from everything with some of my closest friends was incredible.”
And then there’s another trip he’s looking forward to over the winter break: “I love getting some time in to go home to Somerset to see my family [to] get some quality time in away from racing,” he says. “And then I try and head out to get a ‘summer’ holiday somewhere warm before the season gets started again.”
You can see more from Norris’ TUMI photoshoot and shop the new Turin Collection here
The new TUMI campaign comes on the heels of another big campaign for Norris: the driver was just tapped as the face of Ralph Lauren’s Polo Red fragrance.