Jean-Pierre Ploué
Chief Design Officer • Stellantis Europe
DS
How was DS Automobiles brand born?
J-P. P.
DS Automobiles was born out of the need to bring the French brands up to the best European standards in terms of technology and perceived quality, to move away from the notion of a generalist brand.
Creating a premium brand allowed the group to move upmarket. At that time, Peugeot and Citroën were two competing brands, which were observing each other. The creation of a third brand helped each brand to find its own territory. This new premium brand also enabled the group to bear the research and development costs associated with CO2 reductions.
DS was naturally legitimate to carry the idea of the French luxury, which had disappeared from the automotive world. France is at the forefront of fashion and luxury, it was a shame not to launch a French car brand in line with these values.
How could we define the design DS identity vs the other brand of Stellantis?
The identity of DS Automobiles is its Frenchness, its heritage of French luxury since the disappearance of prestigious brands such as Facel-Vega, or the pre-war coachbuilders. DS Automobiles is defined by its sophisticated, refined design, and by its links with the know-how of French craftsmanship. The brand is also linked to the world of art, it embodies a notion of grandeur, of elevation.
The identity of DS Automobiles is its Frenchness, its heritage of French luxury since the disappearance of prestigious brands.
What are the DS Design orientations for the future?
We must continue along the path of refined, sophisticated and innovative design, which contributes to well-being and pleasure: everything that constitutes the French Art of Travel. In the future, DS Automobiles must surprise but not shock, in order to remain a unique and offbeat brand. A balance must be found between innovations and the quality of materials to preserve the harmony of the interior and exterior design.
What are your passions, what drives you?
I am an epicurean, I have a taste for wide open spaces, nature, but also for innovation, art and refinement. I like to drive with my family in the French and Italian countryside, in the mountains or by the sea. I like to share a good wine or a gastronomic meal with friends. As a designer, the ultimate pleasure is to discover an artist's work or an architect's house in the middle of unspoilt nature. In our work, we seek to amplify the beauty of nature, through our creations that magically integrate with or contrast with their natural surroundings.