In 1974, Porsche Design takes on its first camera in the shape of the Contax RTS 1. At the time, photographic technology is developing at breakneck speed, which is why Porsche Design is tasked with integrating additional features into the body while maintaining an uncluttered and logical architecture. The result was a 35mm SLR camera whose puristic functionality blazed a new trail in the world of photography. The Contax RTS 1 continues to hold legendary status among film photographers.

In 1976, Porsche Design makes waves with a futuristic interpretation of ski
goggles. The primary element of the design is that the goggles should make
a statement with their simplicity. Even though the goggles were manufactured
by Carrera, they continue to be known as the Porsche Design ski goggles. Despite their radical appearance, the goggles feature many more functions than you might imagine at first glance. The ski goggles are space-saving when packed away, are lightweight and comfortable to wear, while the panoramic visor provides a wide field of view.

In 2008, Porsche Design and Adidas join forces to produce the Bounce:S, which goes on to win multiple awards that year and be selected by Time magazine as one of the 50 best innovations of the year. The innovative feature in question is a new absorption system developed in collaboration with engineers from the Porsche Engineering Group and modeled on a car suspension. The Bounce:S features a system of metal springs instead of a conventional foam sole to give athletes more forward propulsion and make for a more comfortable and stable shoe.

Porsche Design has always drawn on technological innovations to reduce designs to their key elements. For the P‘8924 Sunglasses, the lens frames were milled from solid titanium and fastened in place with an intricate titanium wire structure. These flowing lines are what gives the product its nickname: The Contour. The P‘8924 model also draws on the same hook-like elements used in the iconic Exclusive Sunglasses. Inspired by the elegant shapes of the Porsche 911 and manufactured by Rodenstock, the Sunglasses are limited to only 911 pairs.

Instead of featuring a standard stopwatch and adjustment dial, the Monobloc Actuator is designed with a special rocker switch that is integrated into the casing. The switch design is the result of three years of development that sees Porsche Design watchmakers collaborate with engineers from the Porsche Development Center in Weissach, Germany. The inspiration for the sophisticated timepiece is the rocker-arm-activated valve control system found in the engine of the Porsche 911 RSR racing car.

Porsche Design develops a collection of home lighting fixtures for Zumtobel—and becomes one of the first lighting systems to use LED technology. But the real eye-catcher here is the geometric design featuring sophisticated kinematics. The P‘7121 floor lamp, for instance, is a three-in- one combination of bright ceiling light, atmospheric wall light, and reading light— depending on the angle of the lamp’s hinge. When completely vertical, the floor lamp brightly illuminates the ceiling above. When the lamp is angled downward, the light automatically removes too and turns into a convenient reading light.

Porsche Design develops a series of small kitchen appliances at the request of Bosch-Siemens-Haushaltsgeräte. The casing is made from brushed extruded aluminum profiles, material never before used with household objects. The designs are met with resistance, with a survey of potential customers revealing a preference for a different design. What’s more, the manufacturing process is extremely expensive. Nevertheless, the series still enters production and proves to be a game changer. The market for high-end appliances is considered small, but the new products prove extremely popular. The kettle alone, of which around 100,000 units were expected to be sold, sees sales figures upward of 1.2 million.

The CP4 motorcycle helmet features elegant, clean lines and an unmistakable two-color design. As always, Porsche Design does away with needless features, for functional as well as aesthetic reasons: integrating the visor into the outer cover protects it from damage even when the visor is open. Opening the visor also cleans the surface thanks to a special cleaning system. However, there is one other feature of the CP4 motorcycle helmet that is particularly popular among customers: the option to fully customize the helmet and visor colors.

The compass watch combines two precision instruments in a single product: a mechanical, self-winding watch mechanism and a night-use compass. But combining these two instruments is quite a challenge— none of the components can be magnetic, otherwise the compass would not work properly. The watch is manufactured by luxury watchmaker IWC, which suffers greatly from the emergence of cheap quartz watches in the 1970s. The compass watch, which inspired a whole generation of subsequent models, marks a reversal in IWC’s fortunes.

Italian furniture manufacturer Ycami assigns Porsche Design with the task of designing an aluminum chair for both house and garden that is rugged and resistant to adverse weather and vandalism. The designers choose to make the seat and the backrest from carefully polished diecast materials. However, no-one considers that the aluminum parts may get hot when exposed to sunlight, especially in Mediterranean countries. And so, shortly afterwards, a new series of the chair is designed with the seat and backrest made from pastel-colored plastic.

Porsche Design is the first watchmaker in the world to take the principles of series manufacturing in sports cars and apply them to timepieces. With Porsche Design custom-built Timepieces, customers can customize their very own chronograph using the online configurator. The Porsche production concept in Zuffenhausen is not the only source of inspiration for custom-built Timepieces, either: all configuration options are based on the 911—the use of titanium is a reference to the lightweight construction of the exclusive sports car, while the color options are based on 911’s interior and exterior colors and the rotors are a nod to the wheel design.

The suitcase has a hard shell made from lightweight but robust polycarbonate, ensuring maximum stability while keeping weight to a minimum. The casual and elegant rib structure breaks up the surface aesthetically but also has an important function: it stiffens the hard case and makes it more resistant. The wheels live up to the Porsche Design name: they feature double bearings and a special coating that makes the suitcase run extremely smoothly and quietly.

The P‘3130 Mikado models, which are available as mechanical pencils and ballpoint pens, are an intriguing combination of design and function. The shaft is encased by 17 polished stainless-steel rods. When the rotating mechanism inside the writing tool is activated to extend and retract the lead or ink cartridge, the rods straighten up. If the mechanism goes beyond its centerpoint when retracting the lead or ink cartridge, the rods revert to their original position—slightly twisted, reminiscent of the start of a game of pick-up sticks.

Porsche Design knows exactly what is needed at high speed: precision, reliability, instant feedback, and performance. In partnership with established ski manufacturer Elan, Porsche Design creates a set of skis that combines all of these properties. Drawing on materials such as carbon, plywood for the core, and double titanium reinforcement for the edges, the skis meet high standards of quality without compromising on style.

Porsche Design turned the world of timepieces on its head with the Chronograph I, the world’s first black watch, and repeated the stunt in 1980 with the first ever watch made from titanium. The lightweight design of the watch is one of the most impressive features. The word Titan (titanium) is engraved onto the face to highlight the exclusivity of the material. Not only that, the watch also features a host of other technical details, including dials that are integrated into the frame. Porsche Design’s Titanium Chronograph revolutionizes the watch market and titanium becomes the material of choice in any timepiece design.