words by MAGDALENA ROE
What happens when a material best known for its industrial past becomes an object of desire? For over three decades, Zurich-based FREITAG has built its identity around transforming discarded truck tarpaulins into functional, one-of-a-kind bags. Now, with the launch of REFERENCE, the Swiss label enters a new chapter, one that brings its pioneering approach to upcycling into a more refined conversation about fashion, craftsmanship and luxury.
Invited to Zurich to celebrate the launch, we had the opportunity to discover this new direction firsthand. There is something fitting about experiencing REFERENCE in the city where FREITAG was founded in 1993. What began as a practical idea, giving used materials a second life, has evolved into a design philosophy that continues to challenge conventional ideas of value, beauty and consumption.
images courtesy of FREITAG
At the centre of REFERENCE is an interesting proposition: that industrial materials can carry the same sense of desirability as those traditionally associated with luxury. Designed by Anne Bachmann, who has been part of FREITAG's design team for 16 years, the collection introduces four silhouettes that feel noticeably different from the brand's familiar utilitarian language. The shapes are more sculptural, the details more considered, and the overall aesthetic deliberately understated. Yet the material remains unmistakably FREITAG.
Each bag is made from carefully selected, previously used truck tarpaulins sourced across Europe. Scratches, folds and traces of their former lives become part of the design rather than imperfections to conceal. Rendered in a predominantly monochromatic palette of white, silver, red and blue, alongside a limited black edition, the material takes on an entirely different character. What was once industrial becomes surprisingly elegant, without losing the individuality that has always defined the brand.
The four designs each offer their own interpretation of this new direction. R201 ELLY is a minimal crossbody for everyday essentials, while R202 BATES moves between a practical daytime bag and a more sophisticated evening silhouette. R203 MAZIE, an oversized, adaptable tote, offers a generous shape that can be folded into a smaller form. Then there is R204 NAN, a sculptural shoulder bag with a distinctive baguette silhouette. Together, they introduce a new design vocabulary for FREITAG, balancing functionality with a stronger fashion sensibility.
One of the most interesting details is the magnetic metal clasp, inspired by an industrial shelving hook discovered in FREITAG's own factory. It is a subtle reference to the brand's origins, transformed into a defining design element. Equally considered is the small repair kit accompanying each bag, made from its original tarpaulin and containing matching material and thread for future repairs. It is a reminder that longevity is not simply an aesthetic proposition, but something built into the object itself.
REFERENCE questions the idea that luxury must begin with precious materials. The value lies in the transformation, in the attention given to something that has already lived an entirely different life. The result feels particularly relevant at a time when fashion is increasingly reconsidering what makes an object worth owning. Rather than abandoning its industrial identity, FREITAG gives it a new expression. And perhaps that is where the collection finds its strongest point of view: proving that something once considered ordinary, worn or discarded can become desirable precisely because of its history.
