Yesterday morning, a media group was invited to breakfast at the ultra luxurious Fairmont Pacific Rim Presidential Suite to learn about BMW Group’s DesignworksUSA and one of its leading designers based out of the Los Angeles headquarters.
Sandy McGill began as an intern at DesignworksUSA; she’s currently been with the design consultancy for just over two decades. DesignworksUSA is a global design consultancy and subsidiary of BMW Group providing design consulting services for BMW Group brands including BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars as well as external clients such as Microsoft, Starbucks, HP, Mohawk, Embraer, and many more.
Sandy’s color work has been reflected in all the BMW Group brands, including the 2005-2009 Formula One cars. According to research, 80% of consumer purchase decisions are based on colour choices. Sandy and her team work to customize colour finishes, materials, and develop interiors for both Designworks’ individual collection and manufacture programs.
[Marrying DesignworksUSA with Italian design elements at the Fairmont Pacific Rim]
From smartphones to refrigerators, cars to rails, the globally-focused team works to find design solutions to innovative products. Designworks has expanded to offices in both Munich and Shanghai.
Started two years ago, the individual program entails craftsmanship and exclusive materials, including high quality Merino leather and hand-selected woods. A single log is used to maintain uniformity as well as colour throughout a car interior.
[The stellar view from the Presidential Suite]
To go a step further, customers can choose individual manufacturing, including custom monogramming on the seats, decorative trim, and limited-edition products.
Customers are invited to the Designworks USA studio to create the car of their dreams. A virtual wall shows a full-size car model, including all choices made during the consultation to get a complete picture prior to ordering.
We asked Sandy what the current trends in custom car interiors are. Browns seem to be replacing black as the new go-to colour. Green is also due to make a comeback for customization. What influences car designers? Architecture is a biggie, as well as the Milan Furniture Fair, where the latest on-trend designs are revealed and showcased.
The Vancouver International Auto Show is on now through March 29 at the Vancouver Convention Centre West. Visit DesignworksUSA online for more information.
More about Sandy McGill
For DesignworksUSA external clients, Sandy has developed color strategies for consumer, medical and aviation industries. Consumer products include Nilfisk vacuum cleaners, HP printers and Varian Medical Systems. Aviation strategies include Embraer and Pilatus. Sandy designed a top-selling carpet collection for Lees Carpet that is currently installed in the DesignworksUSA design studio.
Sandy has recently led the BMW Individual initiative at DesignworksUSA where BMW 6 and 7 series customers can come to DesignworksUSA for a personal color, trim, and paint consultation in the context of BMW Design.