When The Standard kicked off our collab with Crash Baggage (shop it here), two rogue philosophies met their match: “handle without care” found “anything but standard.” At our Bangkok launch, Francesco told us how those shared values—more like an attitude, really—created something deeper than product design. We chatted about celebrating pleasure-seeking, spontaneity and the imperfect chaos that brings travel truly alive.
It was great to see you in Bangkok. What did you think of the launch event?
Bangkok was amazing. It really felt like being in a living room where everyone instantly became friends — just because of the vibe. There was this emotional energy that created a sense of well-being all around. Culturally, it felt like a really encouraging step for us, for people, for the future. The installation with the tuk-tuk was pure fun — we were all pretending to ride it and taking pictures. Beautiful, really.
Our brands’ key lines—“handle without care” and “anything but standard”—feel very connected. From your perspective, what do Crash Baggage and The Standard have in common?
We’re both kind of crazy — fucking crazy positive minds — with a great touch and great taste. I think that’s the main thing: we just understand each other without needing to speak too much. Like us at Crash, The Standard expresses the same philosophy in its own way — through hospitality. They put people at ease through expression: with the right choice of objects, colors, design, language, and people. I think the way they choose people and create environments generates this perfect balance of hospitality. It feels as if The Standard itself were a person — or rather, a group of people — who share the same purpose: to make others feel good. That’s where our language connects — we understand each other without even needing to talk.
The luggage you create feels a lot like sculpture. Where did the original dented-bag concept come from and how did you turn it into a reality?
I had the chance to discover the luggage industry through my father, and what I immediately noticed was that everything was focused on the product — not on the people using it. I’ve always thought the opposite way: I care about people. I like seeing people feeling good, not stressed. So, I started thinking about how to make people feel better when they travel. Watching people in airports — sometimes frustrated, sometimes worried because their luggage got scratched or damaged — I thought, why should this even be a problem? For me, the idea was to take that problem away. Luggage should never be a problem for people — it should be something that moves with you, almost like it carries you, not the other way around. It started from the very first prototype I made by hand. I heated plastic with a car-repair tool and began to hit it. From that moment, it started to talk to me — really — like something alive. It felt like a child was born, and that moment left me permanently a bit unbalanced, in a good way.
You talk about travel as “pleasure seeking.” How do you turn that attitude into practical pieces?
For me, pleasure means getting lost a little. Not planning too much. Like — if you know there are plenty of trains or buses, you just go. If you catch one, fine; if not, you wait, look around, maybe something happens. That’s the spirit I want to bring into everything: curiosity, not control.
Tell us about how you got that Standard Red exactly right.
We’re both strong brands with strong identities, so we did a lot of tests and samples until we were both happy. It was a beautiful team effort — all about taste, detail, and a lot of samples, of course.
Are there new directions, product lines, collaborations, or ideas Crash Baggage is excited to explore next?
There are a lot of developments in progress — upgrades, improvements, new ideas. We’re constantly evolving the product and the way we approach it. When it comes to collaborations, we’re maybe more consciously looking around right now, but always with the goal of creating new quality connections — like the one we’ve built with The Standard. I also believe that the best collaborations happen when things simply happen — when you meet people, talk, and something clicks, not because you planned it too much. That’s exactly what happened with The Standard: it was a mutual and natural connection. I’d like this spirit to guide all future collaborations, so they can express themselves in the most genuine and beautiful way.
What are a few of your travel rituals—whether it’s navigating airports or setting yourself up in a hotel room?
When I check into hotels, I never feel like filling out the form. So instead, I write a little love note — something funny or romantic, with hearts — and ask them to do it for me. It’s my way of saying, I’m in a hurry, but with love.
We were so excited to bring Connie Fleming into the mix for this project—her custom stickers are really sexy, detailed, expressive. Are there more artists and icons you’d love to create stickers with?
Working with Connie was great. I think if creativity generates more creativity, then that’s a formula that should go on forever.
What’s a place you’ve traveled to that completely changed how you think about design?
At this point in my life, I honestly don’t remember much from the past — but there’s one thing I do remember clearly. When I was a kid, my father took me on a reward trip to Egypt. We went to see the pyramids, the Temple of Luxor, all those statues — and I was as small as a fingernail. Seeing those endless rows of columns, all perfectly aligned, all those figures in profile… it drove me crazy.
