Today we are coming along with a new ‘5+1’ interview, this time with Heike-Maria Henrich, Designer Colour & Trim Concept at Porsche. Not only is Porsche one of the world's most esteemed car brands, they are also shaping the future of the sports car for already more than 70 years. In 2019 the Taycan, the first all-electric Porsche hit the market – a step into a new automotive age. We are very pleased to have Heike on board for our ‘5+1’ interview series. You will learn more about her path in Colour & Materials and what led her to choose this direction. Besides we get an insight into her inspiring position at Porsche, what place sustainability occupies in Colour & Trim at Porsche and where the future is heading to. Last but not least we get to know how it has been for her as women to build a career in the mobility industry.

1. You have had a career in Colour & Materials since 2014, and have held many positions since – why did you choose this particular path? Did anything influence you?

My passion for colour and material design has accompanied me since my early youth. Initially in the form of fashion and interior design. The things you can create by means of them do fascinate me until this day. Especially the way once personality can be expressed.

Mobility in the form of driving pleasure appeared when I received my own driver's license. The enthusiasm for materials and their influence on the atmosphere inside the vehicle started at this point. Growing up near Wolfsburg in Germany, I was especially influenced by the vehicles of the Volkswagen brand. These products have shaped my visual habits in terms of automotive design and processing precision. 

During my colour design studies, I had the opportunity to achieve first insights in the field of automotive colour and material design at BMW in Munich. Afterwards, I gained my first design jobs at Vorwerk and Continental. These jobs were very important to obtain various experiences. For me it was exciting to find out which industry offers me the best opportunities to create my own potential. Even if new beginnings are always time-consuming, one’s own know how increases enormously and a professional network can be built up as well. 

My motivation is being curious, having trust in letting things happen and a big portion of heart and soul. For me, this includes to put progresses into professional contexts proactively. I have been strongly influenced on this path by professional companions as well as by my personal environment. This has always given me the space to develop myself freely. 

2. You are currently a Colour & Trim designer at Porsche AG. What does a typical day on the job involve? What are some exciting aspects of your job?

When I look back on the last 5 years at Porsche AG, it makes me incredibly proud being a part of this success story. I have the opportunity to work together with very high experienced as well as professional and strong personalities. I enjoy that very much. 

Our daily doing is the question of how we get emotions transported through the materials. There is no day like the day before because routined procedures are only possible up to a limited extent. This is due to the fact that we are always reacting on new dynamics and premises. Rethinking things and making compromises is the order of the day. Visually, we are surrounded by colour and material samples and a typical day in the studio is filled with concept work, meetings and presentations. For example, my day starts with an appointment with a supplier who presents new trend themes to us. After that I supervise the colour and trim proposal of a concept vehicle and then I coordinate with the department colleagues implementation topics in the serial production. 

It's about accompanying the development process from the very beginning and not just drawing the materials over the geometry like a kind of wallpaper, but to achieve a symbiosis with the design language. Furthermore, we are always looking for innovative materials that have a high-quality, especially with a timeless character. Classic grace is highly important, because our vehicles are often collectors' items and therefore owned for an above-average length of time.

Interpreting the materials in the context of the brand and ensuring an exclusive colour and material identity is another exciting aspect, because Colour and Material Design at Porsche has a strong connection to the brand's tradition. For example take a look at the seat patterns such as Pepita, Pascha or Pinstripes. It's not only picking out and developing proposals from the suppliers’ portfolio but its questioning and close interaction within the team. 

The team stands in the foreground of the collaborations and a variety of opinions are generated by exchange. This puts diversity into our decisions concerning colour and material.

3. What is the place that sustainability occupies in Colour & Trim at Porsche? 

Sustainability is very important to us. We can imagine to dedicate our own attractive aesthetic together with the highest quality and processing standards. With an innovative strength, we are ambitiously implementing the sustainable corporate strategy with the aim to safe resources during the process. 

As an example, for the Taycan we have used the sustainably tanned club leather "OLEA", which is tanned by means of olive leaves. Further more, the high-quality microfiber material called “Race-Tex” is also used for the vehicle I’ve mentioned before and it consists of recycled polyester fibres. Among other materials, the flooring is made of recycled fishing nets. Another feature is that we offer leather-free finishes with modern textures on the surfaces, too. 

4. In your opinion, where is the future heading in terms of Colour & Materials? What are you most looking forward to? 

In the future it will be exciting to see how individuality, exclusivity and luxury will continue to develop and be interpreted. High-performance materials that are not only sophisticated in appearance but also strongly functionally driven can be a point of interest. 

The interior of a vehicle will be perceived more consciously as a living space through autonomous driving. Connectivity will play an increasingly important role. The integration of displays and functions covered with materials is now possible, which enables direct communication between the occupants and the material. 

The relation between strong contrasts such as digitalisation and the classic craftsmanship of materials is very inspiring for me, because when extremes meet there can occure a tension in many ways. This automatically leads to tensions between unusual correlations and habits and it breaks with things we take for granted. That's what I'm looking forward to most of all, because this will make our work even more colorful and multifaceted. Yet, we don't know, what will happen next, but we feel the change.   

5. How has it been building a career as a woman in the mobility industry?

With charming tenacity I have always kept my best to emphasise my high level of dedication and performance. In a male-dominated working world, I have benefited from the fact that I don't take things personally, but to pursue pragmatic approaches. 

Concerning to the personality of an individual, character and abilities are everything that count. There are so many factors that you can't influence. Taking people the way they are gives me serenity and sovereignty in my daily working life. For me it is a kind of personal responsibility to reach people with an open mindset in order to find approach. That is why it feels good not to set myself any limits because of my own identity.

And the +1 question from Heike to you: “Which three materials do you think of regarding Porsche?”

Thank you Heike for doing this insightful ‘5+1’ interview with us. If you want to hear more from the many inspiring women in the industry, check out the ‘elle’ section of our magazine.

Pictures: Porsche
Interview: Britta Reineke