How Porsche Design became what it is today

 

New special exhibition at the Porsche Museum: 50 Years of Porsche Design.

The Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, Germany is honouring the Porsche Design‘s 50th anniversary with a special exhibition. Until July 10th 2022, Porsche Museum.

Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, the son of Ferry Porsche, founded Porsche Design together with his brother Hans-Peter in Stuttgart in 1972. Porsche Design has long since become an internationally renowned lifestyle brand, known for functional and durable products with a purist aesthetic. Alongside a presentation of the life and work of F.A. Porsche, his design philosophy and his great creative influence, various exhibits from five decades of Porsche Design are also be on display.

If one thing symbolises the beginnings of Porsche Design, it is the Chronograph I, a milestone in the art of watchmaking. This is why the centrepiece of the special exhibition are the two different versions of the legendary timepiece: the Chronograph 1 – 1972 Limited Edition and the Chronograph 1 – 911 Edition 50 Porsche Design. Other Porsche Design classics, some of which have won multiple awards for form and function, are on display for visitors to experience digitally and interactively. Key exhibits include the P`8478 aviator sunglasses, the P`9521 cellphone, the P`3613 tobacco pipe and the Monobloc Actuator watch series with fully integrated stopwatch pushers.

The anniversary exhibition also includes style-defining cars that F.A. Porsche created or which come from his private collection. Among them is the 904 Carrera GTS, which he himself once described as his masterpiece. A 911 (993) Speedster from his estate is also on display. The 911 S 2.4 Targa from the Porsche Design’s founding year of 1972 that has been restored by the Porsche Classic department as part of the special request program is joining the vehicle show, as will the new Porsche 911 Edition 50Y Porsche Design. The exclusive special edition is a limited run of 750 cars with numerous features reminiscent of the iconic designs of F.A. Porsche. In addition to the plain Black exterior, the nods to the past include the classic check-patterned Sport-Tex centre panels of the seats and the red second hand of the Porsche Design Subsecond clock in the Sport Chrono Package, which comes as standard.

“Good design must be honest,” F.A. Porsche always emphasised.

He designed the legendary Porsche 911 and founded the design studio in 1972. Today, Managing Director Roland Heiler and his team still follow that philosophy. Using authentic materials, they design carefully thought-out, functional and durable products with a purist aesthetic. As the in-house design team of the Porsche Design brand, their inspiring high-quality products include watches, sunglasses, luggage and leather goods.

With locations in Zell am See, Berlin and Ludwigsburg, Los Angeles and Shanghai, the design office also offers its services to international clients. This results in first-class consumer goods, household appliances and industrial products – for example in collaboration with Elan, KEF, LaCie, Morita and Panasonic.

The choice of materials plays a decisive role in Studio F. A. Porsche’s products. Titanium and carbon can turn them into lifetime companions and add new, unexpected functions. The combination of traditional, honest design approaches with ambitious innovations turns the products into genuine luxury items.