TEAM: Melbourne born bag brand, Crumpler, has unveiled the official luggage of the 2016 Australian Olympic Team on the day that also marks “100 days to go” to the Rio Games.
Held in the narrows of a Melbourne laneway, the unveiling kept true to Crumpler's signature urban style. Entering via a purpose built athletics track flanked with street art, Olympic athletes and Rio hopefuls Alex Hartmann, Belinda Hocking, Rachel Jarry, Melissa Tapper and Shelley Watts showcased the luggage.
Chef de Mission, Kitty Chiller, said "Our Team, through our association with Crumpler, is travelling first class to Rio. The luggage is the best we've ever had in an Australian Olympic Team."
Around 440 athletes will be rollin' to Rio and are invited to personalise their luggage utilising Crumpler's iconic "wobbly man", thumbs up, Vegemite and meat pie stickers.
Crumpler CEO, Tom Pemberton said, “Crumpler is thrilled to be supporting the Australian Olympic Team in Rio, and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate our 21st birthday than designing a bag worthy of our Olympians.”
Crumpler was tumbled, fumbled and founded in Melbourne in 1995: Dave Roper and Will Miller, and sculptor/furniture-maker/bike courier/oddly named individual Stuart Crumpler. Now, like the Olympic flame, Crumpler sprints its stuff all round the world, in many countries.
“It’s tough running that far in thongs, but, hey, we do what we have to,” said Crumpler founder, Will Miller, as he prepares for Crumpler’s first store opening in Hong Kong next week, with 2 more to follow close behind.
Crumpler’s approach is simple. It’s got something to do with making good-looking, high quality bags that serve a purpose.
“The originality in our product design is one of necessity and functionality; where we find a customer need, we design a solution and we make sure we have fun doing it – it’s almost that simple,” founder, Dave Roper said.
Every big bang of a bag is meticulously designed, engineered with quality materials worthy of an Olympic medal and supported by a lifetime warranty. Crumpler makes tough-talking no tiptoeing messengers, camera bags, backpacks, small accessories and, of course, a whole logtruck of luggage.
Pemberton says the Crumpler and AOC partnership is an extremely natural one.
“Our Olympians have worked their whole lives without compromise on the small details, so we wanted to produce luggage that rewarded them for that. We don’t take chances and make sure our products are of uncompromising quality - all our zips, toggles, threads, clips, wheels, webbing and raw materials are tested rigorously, and then tested again.”
Crumpler’s Olympic luggage will be rollin’ out of your nearest Crumpler store for a limited time only from April 27th. Fans who are subscribed to the Australian Olympic Committee e-newsletter can also enter to win a replica Team bag.
Crumpler and AOC
