Porsche Design shows off engineered luxury

When the name “Porsche” comes up, many would immediately identify the well-known German automotive company specializing in luxury vehicles.

But Porsche Design, in spite of its name, is a brand that has little to do with cars. This relatively new player in the Manila shopping scene is a separate brand entirely, although founded by that same Ferdinand Alexander Porsche who designed the famed sports car, Porsche 911.

A revolution in timepieces

In 1972, F.A. Porsche introduced a no-nonsense wristwatch that was unlike any other timepiece that was then on the market.

The Chronograph 1 was all-black with white markings on the face, similar to what one might see on a car dashboard, making it much easier to read than the golds, silvers and chromes of traditional watches.

The watch would live on for over 40 years as the pioneering product of Porsche Design, the design studio that Porsche founded that same year.

Following the credo, “If you analyze the function of an object, its form often becomes obvious,” Porsche went on to create a luxury label known for its sleek, functional and technically inspired products.
 
At its new outlet in the East Wing of Shangri-la Plaza mall in Mandaluyong City, the products range from classic timepieces, luggage and footwear to a gentleman’s razor and even a smartphone made in collaboration with Blackberry. Interesting too is the Shake Pen, an exquisitely simple pocket ballpoint pen that requires only a sharp flick of the wrist to reveal the tip.

Although most of the items seem to have the gentleman in mind, the brand's new range of products shows that the ladies will not be left behind.

“Ladies are getting more and more important for us,” said Porsche Design head of Franchise & Travel Retail Lars Schmidt, as he presented the brand’s first women’s handbag, the Twin Bag, which became available all over the world just last March.

The bag is both chic and nifty, featuring extendable straps which can be clipped and unclipped into place and enough room for a thirteen-inch notebook. Each twin bag is carefully crafted by workers in Florence from a single piece of calf leather, so that the end result is literally seamless.  

Notable as well are the P’8478 Aviator sunglasses, which have proven to be quite the iconic item, having been spotted on the likes of J.Lo, Lenny Kravitz and David Beckham.

The sunglasses have lenses that can be removed and replaced with the shade or color of your liking. Variants include dark and light as well as seasonal colors that match the brand’s current fashion collection.

What sets Porsche Design apart from other luxury brands? Schmidt claims that it has “defined a whole new category of luxury.”

Though that statement doesn't seem particularly helpful, it would seem that Porsche Design takes its cue from its better known automotive big brother and focuses on the engineering behind the sleek exterior of its product.

What they call “engineered luxury” combines design, functionality and craftsmanship with the use of the finest materials.

And yes, everything is available in black.

In the Philippines

For this month only, shoppers who spend a minimum of P10,000 at Porsche Design can avail of VIP membership, which will entitle them to exclusive perks.

“We do feel, after we had opened the store at Newport [Resorts World Manila] about two and half years ago, that there’s a lot of design enthusiasts from the Manila area… there’s a lot of people who appreciate our brand in the Philippines in general,” said Schmidt.

Adjusting to local markets, Porsche Design has come up with some region-specific products, like the soup set—an asymmetrical ceramic bowl with spoon—and even a hookah pipe intended for Middle Eastern outlets.