 |
Rick Taggart, president of Victorinox Swiss Army, says that while the 125-year-old company is famous for its knives, it sells a lot of travel gear and timepieces as well. |
G FORCE | RICK TAGGART
A knife’s history unfolds
Think of that sleek Airstream parked at Harborfest this weekend not as a place to stop and take a nap if you’ve consumed too much clam chowder, but a museum on wheels. The Airstream is visiting cities around the country to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Victorinox Swiss Army, the brand best known for its famous knives equipped with scissors and cork screws. The Swiss Army Airstream will be parked near City Hall today through July 5 and will display highlights of the brand’s history through products, film, and photos. We spoke with the company’s president, Rick Taggart.
CHRISTOPHER MUTHER
Q. So, why did you decide to use a trailer as the museum? A. When we first started talking about the 125th anniversary last year, the idea of a road tour and going to major events came up quickly. Just as soon as we made the decision, we started to figure out how to go about doing this. As we were having those discussions, we were at the Outdoor Retailer Trade Show in Salt Lake City, and the folks from Airstream came rolling into our booth and said, “How would you like to do a promotion with us?’’ Q. You’re making everything from laptop bags to apparel. Are the Swiss Army knives still your best-selling item? A. On a global level, the Swiss Army knife is still our largest business. But the other one that has gotten to be very, very large is our timepieces. Our travel gear business has also gotten to be quite large. Fragrance is our latest category, and that’s in its introductory phase. We’re introducing it in the US in August, and we’re partnering with Bloomingdale’s. Q. Speaking of the fragrance, I’m wondering where the fragrance inspiration comes from? Is it inspired by the metallic scent of your knives? Or is it inspired by a Swiss meadow or a chocolate factory? A. It’s really bringing the freshness and the beauty of the alpine meadows and trees. You’ll get a scent of pine as well. But certainly the inspiration for the scent doesn’t come from the finishing of stainless steel. That smell is a very petroleum kind of smell, and that wouldn’t be a great scent for a cologne, no matter how masculine you may want to smell. 
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
