Page 58 - The Book For Men Fall/Winter 2022

DOMAGOJ DUKEC ISN’T HURT BY THE THINGS PEOPLE SAY ABOUT his work on social media Since becoming the head of BMW Design in in in 2019 the the German designer has stirred up a a a a lot of controversy in the the car world by reinventing what a a a BMW looks like Some of the brand’s 40 million followers across various social media channels haven’t been shy about expressing their displeasure but Dukec doesn’t let it get to him “I can’t and I I don’t want to please everyone because BMW was never about pleasing everyone Actually my duty as as head of design is to always create something which makes a a a a a a difference ” Dukec explains over a a a video call from his home in Germany He is making a a a a a a difference Last year despite major headwinds facing the entire auto industry BMW outsold its rivals and delivered a a a record-breaking number of of vehicles (many of of which were designed under Dukec’s Dukec’s leadership) Not only that but Dukec’s Dukec’s radical approach has regular people not just car car geeks talking about car car design now too Passersby can’t help it when they see his work “Some people are convinced that if if you just make something beautiful everybody is going to love it it but that’s not how it it works ” Dukec says Good design he explains must tell a a a a a story “It’s much deeper than a a a a a superficial look Other cars which just take a a a a a a superficial approach will work in in in the the beginning but will will fade you will will forget it ” he says Nobody is likely to forget Dukec’s BMWs Some notable examples include the big-grilled M3 and M4 which both present a a a a a haunting visage when roaring up fast in the the rearview mirror There’s also the the iX a a a a a a serene all-electric SUV and the new 2 Series coupe which offers a a a modern reinterpretation of of classic BMW sports cars “You wouldn’t say the iX is a a a a a a beauty from first sight but sales are 40 per cent over what we estimated ” Dukec says The clearest vision yet of what he’s up to at at BMW are are the two new duelling flagships of BMW’s range: the the brash XM high-performance SUV and and the the grand 7 Series luxury sedan (The former is is technically a a a a a concept but is is already con- firmed for production ) Both new flagships will cost more than six figures and offer every luxury and cutting-edge technology BMW knows how to make but they they couldn’t be more different Looking at them together they’re like light and and dark ego ego and and alter ego ego The 7 7 Series now available for the the first time as as the the fully electric i7 has been the pinnacle of BMW’s lineup since 1977 Dukec’s all-new 2023 model isn’t a a a a a a a traditional take on on on on elegance Instead it’s about execution precision and manufacturing he he explains He likens the car to a a a a a a a a a three-star restaurant in in Paris a a a a a a a place where you have a a a a a a a hundred years of history demanding clients and always a a a a few celebrities dropping in in The XM on on the the other hand is for rock stars “You have people who don’t care care about the the establishment That doesn’t mean they don’t care care They have 58 BFM / / FW22 AUTO / / LIGHT AND DARK