Retro Music Meets Fashion: Dan Cohen, Former Student, Unveils Combination of Music and Style with His Voyager CD Pouch Design
In the College of Visual and Performing Arts at a renowned university, Dan Cohen '25, an industrial and interaction design major, has designed a unique product that harks back to a bygone era while catering to modern tastes - the Voyager CD Bag. This portable, wearable CD player is more than just a nostalgic throwback; it's a testament to the enduring appeal of physical music formats.
Cohen's passion for music, particularly compact discs (CDs) and record players, inspired the creation of the Voyager CD Bag. The bag, which serves as his yearlong thesis project, is a crossbody CD player that seamlessly blends retro technology with modern style. It boasts a main storage section with a zipper running across the top, an adjustable black strap, a sleek black CD player with a headphone jack, and a zipper storage pouch for holding multiple CDs. But what sets it apart is its fully functional, skip-proof, and water-proof design, making it a practical choice for music enthusiasts.
Cohen's research revealed that while most survey respondents enjoyed listening to CDs, they found traditional CD players inconvenient. In response, he designed the Voyager CD Bag, a portable, trendy product that addresses this gap in the market. Inspired by the iconic Walkman and Discman, the bag features a fashionable grey design with a mounted CD player, appealing to Gen Z consumers who value both function and fashion in their gadgets.
The market potential for such a product appears promising. CDs are experiencing a notable comeback in 2025, particularly among younger audiences seeking a more intentional and tangible music experience. Unlike streaming, CDs offer a physical artifact that encourages focused listening with visible album art and curated tracklists. This shift is partly driven by a desire to slow down and appreciate music more deliberately, aligning with Gen Z's interest in authentic and retro-futuristic experiences.
The revival of CDs is further supported by the availability of modern CD players designed with aesthetic appeal and compactness in mind. Designers are transforming CD players into stylish objects that double as modern interior accessories, featuring minimalist and often transparent designs that fit well with contemporary tastes. This repositioning can attract Gen Z consumers who value both function and fashion in their gadgets.
While the broader consumer electronics and wearable markets are growing significantly, most growth is seen in tech like USB controllers and wearable injectors in healthcare. However, these growth trends reflect a larger movement toward wearable and portable tech devices, suggesting that a well-designed wearable CD player could harness similar consumer enthusiasm for personal, portable technology.
Gen Z’s preference for tangible music formats, as evidenced by the vinyl and cassette resurgence before CDs, indicates there is an emerging niche that values physical ownership and the ritualistic aspect of music consumption. This provides a ready consumer base for portable CD devices styled as fashion-forward wearables.
In conclusion, the market for stylish, portable, wearable CD players aimed at Gen Z holds strong potential given the physical media resurgence driven by aesthetics, user experience, and a demand for tangible music formats beyond streaming. Capitalizing on current design trends and the cultural movement toward music intentionality can differentiate such a product in an increasingly digital marketplace.
Cohen is optimistic about the future of the Voyager CD Bag. He hopes to market and manufacture the product, offering music enthusiasts a stylish and practical way to enjoy their CD collections on the go. As he reflects on his project, Cohen believes the biggest lesson he learned was to trust himself in realizing his passion project. The success of the Voyager CD Bag is a testament to the enduring appeal of physical music formats and the ingenuity of young designers who seek to reimagine them for modern audiences.
The Voyager CD Bag, with its fusion of retro technology and modern style, caters to those who value both function and fashion in their gadgets, as technology and entertainment intertwine in the emerging music landscape. Gen Z's affinity for tangible music formats opens up a ready market for portable CD devices styled as fashion-forward wearables, showcasing that the enduring appeal of physical music formats is not restricted to compact discs alone.
