The Story of Porsche | Porsche Design

PROFESSOR FERDINAND ALEXANDER PORSCHE sitting on an old Porsche

THE FOUNDER OF PORSCHE DESIGN

THE LEGACY OF PROFESSOR FERDINAND ALEXANDER PORSCHE

Optimize function. Reduce the form right down to the essentials. Overcome the familiar to continually discover new and exceptional solutions. A vision that founder Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche already realized with the creation of the legendary Porsche 911. And a maxim that Porsche Design has consistently followed since 1972.

High quality and exceptional design

A success story

PROFESSOR FERDINAND ALEXANDER PORSCHE looking with his grandfather on an Porsche model.

01 PASSION AT A YOUNG AGE

The unique characteristics of the brand can be traced back to the founder of the company, his personality and his story: the eldest of Dorothea and Ferry Porsche's four sons, he was born on December 11, 1935, and spent a lot of time as a child in his grandfather's design offices and development facilities in Stuttgart. In 1943 the family moved to Austria and Prof. Ferdinand Alexander Porsche attended school in Zell am See.

Ferdinand Alexander working on the 911 Porsche model

02 AS A DESIGNER IN THE COMPANY

After the family returned to Stuttgart, Ferry Porsche founded the sports car manufacturer Porsche from his father's design office. Ferdinand Alexander joined the family business as a designer in 1958. His first major challenge was to design what would later become the Porsche 911. During this time he honed his sense for technology, materials and especially purism in design.

03 A NEW START

At the beginning of the 1970s, the company underwent a transformation. Porsche became a public company and the family members withdrew from the operating side of the business. Ferdinand Alexander Porsche retained his seat on the supervisory board but was forced by new rules to give up his job as chief designer. In 1972, driven more by a creative urge than a profitable business idea, he founded Porsche Design in Stuttgart.

04 WATCHES INSTEAD OF AUTOMOBILES

An initial boost came from the Porsche company itself which was looking for a suitable gift for long-standing employees. They ordered a watch with a guaranteed purchase volume of 20 per year. Ferdinand Alexander and his small team focused on things he himself found interesting: in addition to watches, the company has also made glasses, pipes and writing utensils. Everything it has designed stands out from the ordinary.

THE PHILOSOPHY

FORM AND FUNCTION. IN PERFECT HARMONY.

Porsche Design follows a clear design philosophy. Optimize function. Reduce the form right down to the essentials. Overcome the familiar to continually discover new and exceptional solutions.

“If you analyze the function of an object, its form often becomes obvious. ”

Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche
Designer of the legendary Porsche 911 and founder of Porsche Design

Porsche Design follows a clear design philosophy: optimize function. Reduce the form right down to the essentials. Overcome the familiar to continually discover new and exceptional solutions. This results in unique and eye-catching designs that have won multiple awards for form and function.