In Conversation with Thanh Hung Trinh - Émigré Head of Luggage, Bags and Accessories
A Life Shaped by Change and Craft
Thanh’s early years were marked by cultural fluidity and shifting geographies, themes that would come to define both his life and work.
Drawing since childhood, in Switzerland, it grew into something more. After school, Thanh began his creative education at a fine arts school in Valais, where he later studied graphic design. Four years later, he graduated with distinction, earning a Jury prize for excellence.
But for Thanh, that wasn’t the end of the road — it was the starting point.
“Despite my passion for graphic design, it no longer felt sufficient.”
His curiosity led him further: into CGI, video, photography, and ultimately, product design. While Swiss design, characterised by clean, restrained and rational elements, runs through his DNA, Thanh’s inspirations are far-reaching: from the quiet geometry of nature to the refined engineering of Japanese objects, and the clarity of Bauhaus design. The maxim of Dieter Rams, “Less but better,” became a design compass.
Precision Over Excess
After meeting Ralph Thoma, who would later found Émigré, Thanh travelled to Colombia to join Ralph in a bag manufacturing facility.
“I spent my days with seamstresses and production staff, learning the craft from the inside out.”
This hands-on experience laid the foundation for Thanh’s design approach: quiet mastery, grounded in material intelligence. He went on to work with brands including Crafted Goods, Cyclus, and Pangolin — each project refining his sensibility further.
“My role as a designer is to serve the cause and the brand. It’s not about ego — it’s about solving the problem with the most appropriate solution.”
A Modular Approach to Solution-Driven Design
Thanh doesn’t see himself as a typical business traveller. His bags are filled with camera gear, sketches, fabric samples, not slides or spreadsheets. Yet the movement is the same — purposeful, precise, and deeply connected to his work.
That ethos shaped Émigré’s very DNA. After rigorous research and years of shared experience, Thanh and Ralph decided to build something from the ground up: not just another travel bag, but a complete system for professionals on the move. The blueprint for Émigré was created.
Inspired by performance materials and the natural world, Thanh led the design of Émigré’s first range of travel accessories. He partnered with a Korean supplier to develop a custom textile: textured, organic, slate-like. Durable yet light. Every detail — from zippers and buckles to linings was rethought.
“We went through countless sketches. The goal was to retain only what was essential.”
Style and function are the dual pillars of Émigré’s broader design approach. No excess. No clutter. No performative features. Just products made for professionals who travel with purpose and dress with precision.