New CEO of Designworks USA ex-Mercedes interiour designer!
Press ReleaseSource: DesignworksUSA
Verena C. Kloos Named President of DesignworksUSA
Tuesday June 8, 4:19 pm ET Kloos to Succeed Adrian Van Hooydonk
LOS ANGELES, June 8 /PRNewswire/ -- DesignworksUSA, the California-based international strategic design consultancy owned by BMW Group, announced today that Verena C. Kloos has been named President of DesignworksUSA. In this position, she will oversee the company's day-to-day operations and strategic direction. She will report directly to Christopher E. Bangle, Director of BMW Group Design. Ms. Kloos succeeds Adrian van Hooydonk, who will oversee the smooth transition of Ms. Kloos as President. Mr. van Hooydonk will re-locate to Munich later this year to head the BMW automobile brand studio.Previously, Ms. Kloos was the Head of DaimlerChrysler Advanced Design studio in Como, Italy. In this post, which she held since March of 2000, she was responsible for the design and development of advanced interior concepts for passenger cars of future Mercedes-Benz product lines.
In addition, she has held various senior management positions at DaimlerChrysler and senior design positions in other companies in the automotive industry.
She has extensive experience in the United States, having served as Design Director for Volkswagen in Simi Valley, California from 1991-1994.
A native of Wolfsburg, Germany, Verena Kloos earned a Bachelor of Design degree in the Industrial Design Studies program of the University of Fine Arts in Braunschweig.
DesignworksUSA
DesignworksUSA is a premier international design consultancy headquartered in Newbury Park, California with a branch office in Munich, Germany. Founded in 1972 by designer Charles Pelly, the company was acquired by the BMW Group in 1995, and covers four main areas: Product Development, Transportation Design, Automotive Design and Advanced Communication. With a deep understanding of future context, the DesignworksUSA studios bring the highest level of design creativity, diversity and quality to a broad but select range of premium products including cars, sports equipment, motorcycles, lifestyle products, trains, fashion, airplanes and high-technology devices. The firm translates consumer brand attitudes into strategic design visions and products, and credits its success to a unique cross-fertilization of ideas and disciplines as well as long-term immersion in specific design landscapes as individuals and as teams. Its website is http://www.designworksusa.com.
BMW Group In America
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. ROLLS-ROYCE Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand, the MINI brand, and the ROLLS-ROYCE brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, an industrial design firm in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group's global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all Z4 roadster and X5 Sports Activity Vehicles. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 340 BMW passenger car centers, 327 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 148 BMW motorcycle retailers, 76 MINI passenger car dealers, and 25 ROLLS-ROYCE Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group's sales headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.
The Mercedes-Benz CLK Giorgio Armani Design Car is the first joint project within the framework of a new joint cooperative venture: the unmistakable design by Mercedes-Benz combined with the timeless style of the legendary fashion designer.
The unique Mercedes-Benz CLK Giorgio Armani Design Car was created in less than four months. Giorgio Armani contributed his design vision and his outstanding feel for colors and materials; Mercedes-Benz provided the automotive design know-how. Verena C. Kloos, managing director of the DaimlerChrysler Advanced Design Studio in Como, Italy, assumed a coordinating role in the realization of the Mercedes-Benz CLK Giorgio Armani Design Car. Talking about her cooperation with the designer, Verena Kloos comments on the special nature of this synergy of two design philosophies: "The approach to our work was characterized by the highest levels of professionalism and aesthetic aspiration. The development of the Mercedes-Benz CLK Giorgio Armani Design Car has shown that this inspiring crossover of different design worlds can create exciting results."
For Giorgio Armani, this project was the first opportunity to come into direct contact with the automotive design world: "We found a common language very quickly indeed. It was interesting for me to see that my vision of design was translated so precisely by Mercedes-Benz in the Design Car. I think the result speaks for itself," says Giorgio Armani.
Design period: May until September 2003
- Theme/inspiration - The design is clear and functional, masculine and sporty; the colors reflect an outdoor/late summer atmosphere
- Design - Development by Giorgio Armani in close cooperation with Verena C. Kloos, managing director of DaimlerChrysler Advanced Design Italia, Como
- Design concept - Intriguing mix of "Cuoio" in a saddle-type shade of brown with high-technology material from the world of sportswear; exciting contrasts created by matt and high-sheen surfaces; harmoniously matched color shades with jet-black accents; modern practicality with a high aesthetic appeal
- Bodywork finish - "Sabbia", a sand shade typical of Armani with greenish nuances, creating a sporty elegance; high-matt finish, giving the car a unique feel Trim: Matching shades of high-sheen "Sabbia", jet-black lateral trim giving the car body a distinctive structure
- Soft-top - High-technology canvas in a semi-matt finish, color-keyed to the bodywork; special development for the Mercedes-Benz CLK Giorgio Armani Design Car
- Interior - Deliberate dispensing with chrome trim, color-keyed to the bodywork finish; delicate, silky-matt fabrics contrasting with the decorative use of "Cuoio" (e.g. center console); metal trim in "Aged Look", no use of classical wood trim
- Seats - "Cuoio" combined with three-dimensional structural fabrics from the world of sports; fabrics in "Sabbia" with a light sheen, moisture-absorbing and "breathing"; when stretched, the pockets on the rear of the backrests reveal girth straps
- Dashboard - Technical fabrics adopted from sportswear, jet black with an intensive sheen; modern and functional appeal
- Steering wheel - Pleasant feel created by "Cuoio" contrasting with black, finely perforated leather that provides for a perfect grip
Mercedes-Benz intensifies its Global Involvement in the World of Fashion
"Passion for Design & Style" motto links all components
For several years, Mercedes-Benz has consistently pursued a strategy anchoring the brand in lifestyle-related fields, particularly in the world of fashion. ”Communication activities for the Mercedes-Benz brand have for years been focused on presenting the brand in the lifestyle settings of its target group. People are interested in everything that relates to their personal lifestyle settings. This also includes the brands which feature in, and are part of, these worlds,” comments Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Executive Vice President, Mercedes Car Group, elaborating upon the Mercedes-Benz brand's close cooperation with the fashion world.
The company launched its fashion commitment under the "Design & Style" banner with the title sponsorship for the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York in Spring 2001. Two years later, Mercedes-Benz is now a partner in prestigious international fashion events in Los Angeles, Canada, Hong Kong, Mexico, Singapore, Venezuela and Australia. The company's newest project is its joint cooperative venture with Giorgio Armani. Mercedes-Benz is the main sponsor of the global "Giorgio Armani" exhibition, a retrospective of the designer's work which will tour the world until early 2005. After having visited Berlin in the summer of 2003, the exhibition will travel to London, Rome, Tokyo and Los Angeles.
A further milestone in this heightened cooperation is Mercedes-Benz CLK Giorgio Armani Design Car, the visual expression of the partnership, which will be presented in all cities visited by the exhibition and will also feature in additional communication activities. Future projects are planned with Giorgio Armani that will further reflect the synergy of the two brands' design philosophies.
With its active involvement in the fashion arena, Mercedes-Benz aims to advance the integration of its brand into this world. By establishing itself as an integral part of the fashion environment, the brand thus opens up to new target groups and communication platforms on an international level.
DaimlerChrysler Advanced Design Italia
In a magnificent villa in Como reminiscent of the glories of the past, the DaimlerChrysler Advanced Design Italia team muses on beautiful objects for the future. The neoclassical Villa Salazar was built in the 18th century. Today, a young, multicultural team works to develop stylish interiors for future Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Como is one of three international design studios that belong to the DaimlerChrysler Design Center, based in Sindelfingen, Germany. The other two Advanced Design studios, located in California, USA (Irvine/Los Angeles) and Japan (Yokohama/Tokyo), focus primarily on the exterior design of the star-bearing automobiles.
Year founded: 1998
Managing director: Verena C. Kloos
”Our credo is to focus on fundamental values such as quality, tradition and continuity. However, each new Mercedes-Benz model must inherently radiate an irresistible magnetism. This is a key ingredient in achieving lasting customer brand loyalty.”
Number of employees: 15 Responsibilities - Conception and development of passenger-car interiors for Mercedes-Benz
Process - Designing and detailing shapes, colors, materials and surfaces; analyzing trends and lifestyles with an eye to their durability to avoid ephemeral trends; testing and integrating new technologies in close cooperation with Mercedes-Benz Research and Predevelopment; creation of 1:1 models; submitting the results of their work to the Design Center in Sindelfingen.
Re: New CEO of Designworks USA ex-Mercedes interiour designer!
Very interesting corporate move; the key is what exactly is meant by Kloos' "...strategic direction"? As long as Kloo is reporting to Bangle, and van Hooydonk as BMW brand design, I think their very avant-garde designs will continue to be their "strategic direction". Bangle probably appoints/recommends new talents reporting to him who shares his avant-garde views.
Re: New CEO of Designworks USA ex-Mercedes interiour designer!
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikhail
I wonder if she is going to have any input on the upcoming 3 series?
perhaps a little too late. i am sure decisions on materials and parts are already made?
doesnt designworks do all the preliminary designs, etc etc for brainstorming and for approval?
the armani clk's stunning use of color and material is more mr. armani's effort.
i think from MB, the Vision CLS concept's interior was very interesting with the choice of color and 'quilted' pattern leather. too bad it is all toned down in the production one.
certainly it is good that she can leak all the MB plans to BMW. but who heads MB's adv design studio now?
i wonder what her experience is with the other aspects of design.
i cannot see an interior designer being a good architect and engineer.
Re: New CEO of Designworks USA ex-Mercedes interiour designer!
In a new book about BMW, "Driven: Inside BMW, The Most Admired Car Company in the World," Bangle says about Designworks: "This is an invaluable resource for BMW, being able to have its designers working for other companies in other categories...the learning, the inspiration, and cross-pollination that occurs - it keeps designers fresh."
Re: New CEO of Designworks USA ex-Mercedes interiour designer!
Quote:
Originally Posted by B8 Guru
I agree. IMHO the BMW interior design peaked with the E31, but also the E36 and E39 are already classics.
It's my observation that people's aesthetic preferences are often largely frozen in their youth. They tend to gravitate to what existed back then, whether it be rock music of that day or the look and feel of a Pontiac GTO. Nostalgia seems to be an important factor in determining what people find beautiful.
New CEO of Designworks USA ex-Mercedes interiour designer!
Press ReleaseSource: DesignworksUSA
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Looks good actually!
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