Brandon Escalona & Emily Klein / Allset – A crossbody bag designed for Gen Z to carry daily essentials, including crucial items such as an EpiPen, with built-in visual reminders.
Next-gen travelling
Strategic Product Design (APD1)
2026
In this project, students were asked to design for the evolving travel habits of a new user group that is currently not among Thule’s primary audiences: younger generations, specifically Gen Z and young adults (approximately 18–35 years old). Based on Thule’s motto, “Bring Your Life”, students explored new bag solutions for either longer journeys or shorter daily commutes. The purpose was to create product offerings that could introduce the brand to this target group in a relevant and compelling way, at a realistic price point, fostering earlier brand appreciation and serving as entry-point experiences to Thule and its broader product ecosystem.
Process
The course began with a three-day field study trip to Thule’s R&D site in Hillerstorp, southern Sweden. This provided students with an up-close introduction to Thule’s history, production facilities, and the product development and design processes behind its various product lines.
The objective was to explore opportunities for new product offerings aimed at introducing the Thule brand to a new target group at an earlier stage in life: Generation Z.
The starting point was to analyse Thule as a brand, its core values, and its current soft goods product offerings, and to develop aspirational solutions that align with its values and future potential, with products fitting the needs and purchasing power of the users.
Alongside identifying relevant design opportunities, a parallel focus of the course was the analysis of the form and design language of the current product lines, and the strategic and methodical development of a new form language aligned with each student’s proposal for a new Thule product offering.
An introduction to thinking and sketching in 3D for soft goods design was introduced early in the project through a dedicated workshop held during the kick-off at Thule’s design and R&D centre in Hillerstorp.
Outcome
The outcome was eleven student projects, each offering a fresh perspective on what Thule could provide in the future. Several of these were shown and presented as fully working prototypes at the final presentation for Thule.
Strategic Product Design
Master's Programme in Advanced Product Design, Year 1
In collaboration with:
Field study trip to Thule’s Research & Development and Design teams in Hillerstorp, Sweden.
Benedikt Herzau & Pascal Stappen / Pace – A camera bag designed for bikepacking, mounted on the handlebar for quick access while riding on smooth roads and easy transition to a body-worn configuration when exploring on foot.
Marija Kucurski & Mohammed Suhail Shameer / Outscape – A rentable, lightweight e-bike trailer that easily transforms into an elevated tent for spontaneous escapes deeper into nature.
Rohith Rajesh Kumar / Ridge – A bike bag solution for trail activities, featuring compartmentalised storage, an external pouch for dirty clothes, and a dual-cable locking system to secure both the bag and the bike.
Murat Can Habire / Oasis – Designed to provide an elegant, easy-to-set-up sunshade without interrupting the beach experience.
Yajurvi Haritwal / Morph – An expandable sling bag designed for urban lifestyles, transforming from a compact everyday bag into a larger carry solution for spontaneous shopping.
Johanna Huse / Hammock – More than a sleeping solution, this concept reimagines the hammock as a portable social relaxation platform suitable for both urban green spaces and remote natural environments.
Aryaman Kashyup / AllTrail XT – An adjustable carrying system designed to isolate the weight of the pack from the wearer’s natural walking gait, improving comfort and reducing perceived load during movement.
Clara Häggström Germann / CNVS – A wearable carry platform designed as a canvas, featuring a base layer that adapts through interchangeable modules. CNVS shifts seamlessly from fast movement to full-day carry.
Zhiyuan Jiang / Shift – Turns the natural one-shoulder swing movement into a dedicated quick-access system, providing access to two side compartments for storing essential items needed for urban travel.
Xue Zipei / Encourage – Designed as the ultimate carry companion for micro-touring and multi-activity use, both solo and in groups.
