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      03-06-2021, 12:36 PM   #1
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Domagoj Dukec: "Good Design isn't about Pretty or Ugly"

Good Design Isn’t About Pretty Or Ugly
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Originally Posted by Esquire
When did you first realise you had a calling? For most, it's something that comes in adult life (if at all). But for Domagoj Dukec, Head of Design at BMW, it was clear from the age of three or four. How did he know so early? Well, the queues of kindergarten classmates that formed at his desk on a daily basis, patiently waiting for hand-drawn cars and motorbikes, were the first clue.

"I didn't want to work. I just wanted to play," Dukec says. "I remember my father coming home late from work when I was a child. I asked my mum, 'Do I have to have a job when I grow up?' And, of course, she said yes. I cried. But then, at the age of 13, when I found out there was a profession called car designer, that was it. I realised I could earn money drawing cars."

Several decades down the line, Dukec is doing much more than simply drawing cars. He's challenging norms, establishing new paradigms and shaking up the automotive-design status quo. One of his latest projects, the new BMW 4 Series, has divided car enthusiasts. But to Dukec, design isn't about right and wrong.

"Early on in my career, there were always rules, almost design laws. This always must be parallel; this is forbidden; you can't put three lines to one point. But later on I learned that, actually, there are no rules. Everything is possible.

"In my eyes, the 4 Series Coupé really isn't as radical as it is made out to be by the the media. It's a very elegant car with very good proportions. The only thing that could be perceived as unconventional is the shape of our kidney grille.

"It makes me wonder, in a way, how people are so superficial that they judge on one detail. It's like judging a human being on one thing – big nose, long legs, big head. You wouldn't say to a chef, 'Okay, this three-course menu is great, but what is your favourite ingredient?' Salt is just salt; a tomato is just a tomato. It's really the composition of all the ingredients that is important."

Ruffling feathers comes with the territory in a position like Dukec's. After all, he's the designer at the helm of one of the most beloved and well-established brands in the world. But for any brand to keep moving forwards, it must evolve and adapt.

"BMW has a very rich heritage, but a part of this heritage is also the pioneering aspect. We didn't start with cars; we started with motorbikes and aircraft engines. Cars came later. So BMW was always very good at adapting to changing circumstances and challenges – like after WWII, when it came up with the Isetta. People had very little money, so this was a small car that was affordable and was the right solution for that time. A big part of our heritage is that we were always able to adapt to these new challenges."

In this sense, he believes, there are certain parallels to be drawn with fashion. "Look at these fashion designers who manage to change the perception of a brand that has a strong heritage. There are young, disruptive fashion labels that have come up from streetwear; then there are these historic fashion houses with such rich heritage, which I would compare to BMW.

"The thing that unites all of these brands is that, through the impact of design, they have changed their customer base. Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel, for example. Or Marc Jacobs when he was at Louis Vuitton. They managed to completely change the perception of their brands, but without losing the heritage. And what Virgil Abloh is doing now is actually just the same thing.

"I always admired Karl Lagerfeld for what he did at Chanel, but also for his attitude. He didn't care what people thought. Because the truth is, if you want to create something that is really daring or bold, people will follow if you're confident enough to know what the brand deserves.

"And that's the same with everybody who is working at BMW in my department – they love the brand and they know exactly how to approach it better than anybody else. We know it inside out, so we know exactly what it needs to stay relevant in the future."

A big part of that is being able to change with the times while also staying true to the core philosophy of good design. A lot of people think that simply means making beautiful or futuristic-looking cars, but for Dukec, there's a lot more to it than that.

"What I try to teach everyone who is not a designer is that good design is not about pretty or ugly. These things are subjective. What is pretty? You will never design anything that 100% of people will like. It's not possible, because people have such different tastes and needs. So it's not about taste, but about gauging what a customer actually desires, or what they could desire in the future.

"It's like when you first see an attractive woman or man. You think, 'Wow.' But this is a superficial approach and most of the time it won't result in love. What we want is eternal love. So the wow factor is not enough. We need meaningfulness from the things we create, so that they can have a personal significance to someone. And this is the secret of good design: it has to be worth sharing and it also has to be meaningful."
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      03-06-2021, 12:59 PM   #2
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Every interview this guy does makes him look more foolish and out of touch with reality than before. As I have stated numerous times before, he is a narcissist and every interview confirms that further and further. But he was hired by people who clearly want someone like him because he represents their views and biases. THIS is what is really wrong with BMW, not just disfigured kidney grills.

"I didn't want to work. I just wanted to play,"
Great quality to have...crappy work ethic.

"But later on I learned that, actually, there are no rules."
Spoken like a true narcissist.

"In my eyes, the 4 Series Coupé really isn't as radical as it is made out to be by the the media. It's a very elegant car with very good proportions."
Not true.

"The only thing that could be perceived as unconventional is the shape of our kidney grille."
Not true.

"It makes me wonder, in a way, how people are so superficial that they judge on one detail."
A narcissist who calls all of us superficial. Again, proving my point. He is so full of himself and easily demeans groups of people.

"I always admired Karl Lagerfeld for what he did at Chanel, but also for his attitude. He didn't care what people thought."
Boom...there you go. Thanks for pointing out that you really don't care about people and you admire racists. I have posted before that Dukec follows racist tendencies and people on this board could not see that. Lagerfeld was a documented racist, anti-Semitic German, and misogynist. He was seriously a disgusting guy. Dukec admires that quality. His words and interviews have backed that up. That's why I have referred to him as Karen Dukec.

"What I try to teach everyone who is not a designer is that good design is not about pretty or ugly."
It absolutely is about pretty or ugly! Who wants an ugly, overpriced car?

"So it's not about taste, but about gauging what a customer actually desires, or what they could desire in the future."
All the groups and feedback have already spoken and said we don't like this design language. Both Dukec and Hooydonk said in interviews that they don't listen to these groups.

Again, we vote with our wallet. Beyond an ugly design, I cannot vote for a company that hires someone who is a narcissist, racist, and criticizes his customers and a company with executives that support and encourage this attitude.
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      03-06-2021, 01:13 PM   #3
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Interesting interview. He started as Head of BMW Design in April 2019. It's all starting to make sense.

This bloke will be "fired" in the coming years and BMW will kick off a strategic initiative to resurrect the brand. Sales matter but so does how your outfit is perceived in the marketplace. BMW is moving in the wrong direction.

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      03-06-2021, 01:46 PM   #4
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Since BMW has been so daring with their design....

Why not be daring with their steering tuning too? Take a page from Porsche or even your engineers from the M2 on how to do it right.
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      03-06-2021, 02:20 PM   #5
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Quote:
"Early on in my career, there were always rules, almost design laws. This always must be parallel; this is forbidden; you can't put three lines to one point. But later on I learned that, actually, there are no rules. Everything is possible.
In my eyes, the 4 Series Coupé really isn't as radical as it is made out to be by the the media. It's a very elegant car with very good proportions. The only thing that could be perceived as unconventional is the shape of our kidney grille.
It makes me wonder, in a way, how people are so superficial that they judge on one detail. It's like judging a human being on one thing – big nose, long legs, big head. You wouldn't say to a chef, 'Okay, this three-course menu is great, but what is your favourite ingredient?' Salt is just salt; a tomato is just a tomato. It's really the composition of all the ingredients that is important.
I always admired Karl Lagerfeld for what he did at Chanel, but also for his attitude. He didn't care what people thought. Because the truth is, if you want to create something that is really daring or bold, people will follow if you're confident enough to know what the brand deserves."
Imagine a chef deciding to make excessive/disproportionate use of salt "to make a statement", explaining "there are no rules - I don't care what people think - I'm confident enough to know what this restaurant deserves".

Subsequently watch how people in the restaurant react.
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      03-06-2021, 02:37 PM   #6
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As much as I think he's terrible, the guy still has a killer job so good for him.

I just hope he doesn't have that job very long.
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      03-06-2021, 02:49 PM   #7
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Besides the fact that Ducek and his handlers have some serious personality issues and are probably morally corrupt, they are not even good designers or people. I know 2 heads of design at auto manufacturers personally. My favorite, as a designer and person, is Ralph Gilles. He gets it. All of it.

He gets design, symmetry, flow, pushing boundaries, creativeness, retro, customer feedback, and customer engagement (routinely attends car events). He gets racing (he's a kick ass driver and routinely has raced his Viper). But he also gets people and has had to work through leadership that is morally corrupt. It did not corrupt him and he did not compromise his values. His brother is in Chicago as well and a down to earth guy.

Point is, good designers are literally the polar opposite of Ducek as people and workers. I own so many BMWs and feel sick driving them now knowing that they represent trashy leadership. Good thing is, they were all purchased before Ducek's reign. I have no intention of buying a Ducek regime BMW.
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      03-06-2021, 03:14 PM   #8
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"It makes me wonder, in a way, how people are so superficial that they judge on one detail."

So once again he attacks the brands most ardant supporters. It makes me wonder, in a way, how he can be so superficial that he continues to draw a grill that most folks dislike.
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      03-06-2021, 03:39 PM   #9
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just sad...I remember before my first BMW, it was something that I always dreamed about owning. I am glad Porsche still has their shit together.
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      03-06-2021, 04:53 PM   #10
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YOU are FIRED!!!
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      03-06-2021, 06:08 PM   #11
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This says it better than I possibly could;
https://www.vitsoe.com/us/about/good-design
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      03-06-2021, 09:57 PM   #12
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To me it seems like Dukec is 'trying' to be a disruptor, viewing things through some futuristic lens rather than looking back at Bmw's rich history to take the brand forward. Clearly he hasn't spoken to his customers but instead is just trying to cut through all the noise in hope we will 'get used to it'.

The people that will 'get used to it' are not the tried and true customer base. The ones that like the sleek, yet somehow classically recognisable appearance are the ones that are repeat buyers. We are the ones that call their cars by their chassis codes instead of the numbers on the trunk plate. We are the ones that have been loyal to the brand for decades. At some point something's got to give.
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      03-06-2021, 10:05 PM   #13
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I really like the new design! Saw the G82 in person and can't wait to order one. It looks much better as my previous F82.

My current fleet ...
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Have owned BMW only since I got my driver license and will continue.
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      03-06-2021, 10:08 PM   #14
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I saw a frozen white M4 in person. It looks worse in person in my opinion. The grills aren't just big, they are HUGE. The entire car is huge. Oh and that light blue and bright yellow interior is ugly as well. The design of the car is a failure, all the exterior lines are a mess.
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      03-07-2021, 07:48 AM   #15
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Lol at Dukec comparing himself with Lagerfeld, Jacobs and Abloh.

First let's get something out of the way - he's right that great designers set the trend, they don't follow it. But the big difference between him and the three others is that his designs suck and theirs didn't.

Those other three guys were a hit when they launched their designs at Chanel, LV, and other brands. I'm sure you could find people who hated them, but the response was very positive overall. Dukec's are the exact opposite.

In fairness, even the best designers have a failed collection or two. Nobody's perfect. But if he asked me for my advice, I'd say tone down the arrogance a bit. A little humility might help you keep your job, or get a new one, if (when) this one blows up
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      03-07-2021, 10:06 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Darth One View Post
Lol at Dukec comparing himself with Lagerfeld, Jacobs and Abloh.

First let's get something out of the way - he's right that great designers set the trend, they don't follow it. But the big difference between him and the three others is that his designs suck and theirs didn't.

Those other three guys were a hit when they launched their designs at Chanel, LV, and other brands. I'm sure you could find people who hated them, but the response was very positive overall. Dukec's are the exact opposite.

In fairness, even the best designers have a failed collection or two. Nobody's perfect. But if he asked me for my advice, I'd say tone down the arrogance a bit. A little humility might help you keep your job, or get a new one, if (when) this one blows up
The head of design @BMW will ask YOU for advice...
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      03-07-2021, 10:10 AM   #17
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How many articles he has to be on to realize you don't have to defend a good "design"?
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      03-07-2021, 10:14 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by am3r1ka View Post
How many articles he has to be on to realize you don't have to defend a good "design"?
And this was a paid advertisement... :
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      03-07-2021, 10:23 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LOW4LYF View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Darth One View Post
Lol at Dukec comparing himself with Lagerfeld, Jacobs and Abloh.

First let's get something out of the way - he's right that great designers set the trend, they don't follow it. But the big difference between him and the three others is that his designs suck and theirs didn't.

Those other three guys were a hit when they launched their designs at Chanel, LV, and other brands. I'm sure you could find people who hated them, but the response was very positive overall. Dukec's are the exact opposite.

In fairness, even the best designers have a failed collection or two. Nobody's perfect. But if he asked me for my advice, I'd say tone down the arrogance a bit. A little humility might help you keep your job, or get a new one, if (when) this one blows up
The head of design @BMW will ask YOU for advice...
Yeah, probably not. He doesn't listen to anybody, why would he listen to me? But as they say - feedback is a gift. I do intend it constructively.
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      03-07-2021, 10:36 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stein_325i View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by am3r1ka View Post
How many articles he has to be on to realize you don't have to defend a good "design"?
And this was a paid advertisement... :
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      03-07-2021, 12:45 PM   #21
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BMW paid to publish that?? I guess they also paid DD to doodle shit grilles, so it tallies...
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      03-07-2021, 01:47 PM   #22
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Look, the new design doesn't really bug me, this generation the 4er is not my first choice over the 3er like it was for the F3X. The thing that gets me is the concepts whether it was for the 4er or just some plain concept to draw inspiration, had a lot of promise. The CSL Hommage Concept or just drawings looked very good. But the end product just didn't hit it home. The front fascia design fell short in that depending on which angle you looked, it may be good or bad.

See attached. The design drawing looks modern, fresh and aggressive. Instead the final result was a flat front fascia that lacks any presence.
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