Porsche Design marks 40th birthday with exhibition

40 years of Porsche Design is being celebrated in an exhibition at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, Germany.

The Porsche Design Studio was founded in 1972 by automotive legend Ferdinand Alexander Porsche – better known for his design of the iconic Porsche 911 – and has since developed consumer products for the public.

Porsche designed a number of classic men's accessories such as watches, sunglasses and pens as well as a number of industrial products and household appliances, collecting honors and awards along the way.

The Porsche-designed ‘Chronograph I' was the world's first black timepiece and was, controversially, very plain, which bucked the trend of elaborate men's watches.

Porsche Design Studio also undertook special projects like the 2003 Bösendorfer grand piano and the 'Alternative Motorcycle Concept,' designed in 1980 as an alternative solution to the car and conventional motorcycles.

The exhibition is open until 17 February and will also pay tribute to the great man himself, who died in April at the age of 76.

You can find out more about the exhibition on the museum's website.

By Rufus Thompson