A man in a blue jumper sits at a white table and draws with a pencil on a large sheet of paper. There are other drawings, notes and design utensils on the table, indicating a creative workspace.

A man in a blue jumper is sitting at a table working on a technical drawing with a yellow pen. The focus is on his hands and the detailed plan. A green banner with text can be seen in the foreground.

Meet the Designer: Gustav Hennecke PART I

Our cases are lovingly handcrafted. This applies not only to the manufacture of the products in the Bavarian forest, but also to the idea behind the suitcase. Our creative mind for the TITAN products is Gustav Hennecke. He is the product designer for the TITAN suitcases and works extensively on our luggage every day.

Find out exactly what quality means to him, how his designs come about and why TITAN suitcases differ from other luggage.

Meet the Designer: Gustav Hennecke PART I

Find out exactly what quality means to him, how his designs come about and why TITAN suitcases differ from other luggage.

About Gustav

Gustav Hennecke ist leidenschaftlicher Designer, bereits als Kind galt das Zeichnen von Objekten zu seinen liebsten Beschäftigungen. Neben dem kreativen Zeichenprozess, war es vor allem auch die unterschiedliche Formgebung von Objekten, die ihn begeisterte und ihn dazu veranlasste bestehende Designs zu hinterfragen. Der Wunsch Designer für Produkte zu werden entwickelte sich spätestens im Studium, als sein Interesse für die Funktion von Gegenständen, die des künstlerischen Designs überwog. Seit 2017 ist Gustav nun bei TITAN und hier als Produktdesigner für alle unsere Designs verantwortlich.

Portrait of a middle-aged man with glasses and a chequered shirt against a green background. He has short grey hair and a light beard.

About Gustav

Gustav Hennecke is a passionate designer; even as a child, drawing objects was one of his favourite pastimes. In addition to the creative drawing process, it was above all the different shapes of objects that inspired him and prompted him to scrutinise existing designs. The desire to become a product designer developed during his studies at the latest, when his interest in the function of objects outweighed that of artistic design. Gustav has been with TITAN since 2017 and is responsible for all our designs as a product designer.

The development of new designs seems to be primarily a creative process. Where do you get your ideas from?

Yes and no. The development of a new design definitely has an artistic aspect, but when it comes to luggage, functionality is at least as important, if not more so. If the most beautiful suitcase doesn't work well, I don't like using it. It's important to me that aesthetics and functionality work well together. I see the development of new functions for the case as just as creative a process as the design of the external appearance. Both aspects have to go hand in hand and are crucial for me to create a high-quality product.

What do you look for when developing a new design?

First and foremost, the pure appearance of a suitcase is of course important. However, unlike many other products, each individual component of the case also has a very specific function. This includes the shell, whose design can have an influence on the stability of the case and its resistance to scratches, for example. The shell design is therefore not just a question of styling, but also of function.
Another important point alongside design and function is the durability of our products. This should be reflected in the design, but also in the technical development, where we already take into account that our cases can also be easily repaired later if the worst comes to the worst.

What are the challenges you face when designing?

A suitcase is like a coherent organism in which all parts must harmonise well with each other. Only when flawless function is guaranteed will the suitcase become the faithful companion that I can look forward to travelling with again and again. If I change something in one component, this in turn has an effect on another.
In addition, the design corset is relatively tight. The basic shape of the suitcase never changes much and yet I have the ambition to develop a design that doesn't yet exist.

What does quality in luggage mean to you?

Many suitcases stand out because something is not working well. The wheels run unevenly and are too loud, the zip is snaggy, the interior layout is impractical and so on.
For me, quality means first and foremost that I enjoy using my suitcase, whether it's because the large wheels make it very comfortable and quiet to use, or because the well thought-out interior layout allows me to store my clothes in a sensible and organised way. Or simply because I enjoy the design of the interior every time I open it to put my things in.
Of course, the durability of each individual component and, last but not least, repairability play an important role in the quality of the case.
When these points come together in a product, I realise that designers and developers have really put some thought into it.

Find out in Part II what you should look out for when buying your next suitcase, what distinguishes TITAN suitcases from other luggage and why small screws make a big difference.

You can read Meet the Designer: Gustav Hennecke Part II here at TITAN UNZIPPED NEWS & STORIES from 24 March 2025.

The development of new designs seems to be primarily a creative process. Where do you get your ideas from?

What do you look for when developing a new design?

What are the challenges you face when designing?

What does quality in luggage mean to you?

Find out in Part II what you should look out for when buying your next suitcase, what distinguishes TITAN suitcases from other luggage and why small screws make a big difference.

Meet the Designer: Gustav Hennecke Part II can be read from 24/03/2025 here on TITAN UNZIPPED NEWS & STORIES.