Design matters in building a luxury brand, says Avatr

Chinese carmakers have long dreamed of building globally recognized premium brands, and now the goal is within reach as their cutting-edge EVs are captivating the world.

But technology alone is not enough, said Jiang Qian, Avatr's vice-president, contending that design matters a lot in luxury products.

Jiang made the remarks when Avatr started deliveries of the limited 012, which was co-created with Kim Jones, former Dior and Fendi artistic director, last week in Shanghai.

"Even if you enjoy a technological advantage today, within a year or two, that uniqueness fades. Of course, we are committed to developing the best technology," said Jiang.

Avatr has access to class-leading technologies: it is backed by Changan, Huawei and CATL, big names in their respective sectors.

"However, we recognize that relying solely on technological exclusivity to create a sense of luxury is increasingly difficult. This is why design — emotion and sentiment — plays a crucial role," said Jiang.

The 012 model's liquid-silver paint, among other things, directly channels Jones' architectural tastes.

"We started the meeting in my office, but I said we should do this at my house," recalled Jones. "They could see how I lived and what I'd expect from a car."

Avatr Chief Design Officer Nader Faghihzadeh, a former BMW designer, helped turn Jones' tastes into automotive language.

"You put the car in front of this house and it should feel like one composition ... and then we deep dive into the interior with also a lot of inspirational stuff, Kim's collections to translate that into colorful material," said Faghihzadeh.

Turning the vision into a real product was not easy. The exterior alone requires a 12-layer paint process so labor-intensive that "we can only finish two cars daily", said Jiang.

The 012, priced at 700,000 yuan ($96,365) and available in 700 units, is the latest of Avatr's bespoke luxury line 0 Series.

The first, the 011, was the result of its collaboration with then-Givenchy creative director Matthew M. Williams.

Jiang said the mission of the 0 Series is to fuse the most fashionable designs with cutting-edge technology, offering users trendy, iconic and highly differentiated product choices.

"We want to be in the forefront, especially in the new luxury class and the definition of this luxury," said Faghihzadeh.

"It needs a lot of sophistication, and design should help to make the experience very, let's say, intuitive and very coherent," he said.

Faghihzadeh, who heads a team of designers in Avatr's design facility in Munich, said Chinese carmakers are more courageous to try new things, compared with established brands, which due to their legacy cannot easily jump out of the mold.

Yet valuing design is much more than hiring a talented designer, as many would have thought.

"It's not just about copying a design and producing it cheaply — it requires deep insights, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and the creation of harmonious, yet distinctive designs that cater to diverse customer needs," said Jiang.

He said Faghihzadeh holds more authority than anyone else in the company — his design vision takes precedence over craftsmanship, cost, and even engineering considerations.

"Sometimes, we don't fully understand his insistence on certain design elements, but the leadership always insists: 'No, no, we must follow Nader's vision.'"

And the emphasis on design is also shown in Avatr's continuous investment to expand its design facility in Munich, which houses more than 100 designers from some 30 countries.

"A strong design team and a company that truly understands and supports design can create a powerful force," said Jiang.