Porsche Design P’9982 Blackberry
German fashion label Porsche Design is furthering its collaboration with BlackBerry for the P’9982 smartphone and a crocodile model limited to 500 units that will be sold at British retailer Harrods.
The P’99982 smartphone seems like an appropriate venture for a fashion brand that produced the first black watches and aviator sunglasses with interchangeable lenses. The phone’s cosmetic qualities such as a satin finished frame made with stainless steel, a hand-wrapped Italian leather back door and a sapphire glass camera lens will allow Blackberry to contend with other luxury smartphone brands such as Vertu.
“The second collaboration between Porsche Design and BlackBerry continues with the new all touch P’9982 device featuring an icon design running the powerful BlackBerry 10.2 Operating System,” said Alison Phillips, director of industrial design at BlackBerry, Toronto.
“Both BlackBerry and Porsche Design share common principles with a particular focus on functional, timeless and purposeful design,” she said.
“The P’9982 is the product of collaboration between two brands that value authentic design.”
New angles
The P’9982 includes Blackberry’s new technical qualities such as an enhanced keyboard, BBM that works inside applications and a priority hub that filters out messages and tasks according to importance.
P’9982 smartphone
A custom BBM Pin distinguishes each Porsche Design phone so that users can instantly determine if they are communicating with a fellow owner. There will also be 24/7 technical support available. The standard P’9982 will be available at Porsche Design stores and select carriers and retailers.
The limited crocodile edition, which replaces the Italian leather with crocodile leather, will be available at the Porsche Design shop-in-shop at Harrods in early December.
A video released by BlackBerry illuminates several key components.
Porsche Design P’9982 Blackberry smartphone
Many accessories have been created by Porsche Design such as a stereo headset, a polishing cloth, USB cable for high-speed data transfer, an international charging kit and interchangeable colored leather back covers.
Quietly expanding
The CEO of Porsche Design at the Luxury Retail Summit: Holiday Focus 2013 Sept. 18 outlined the brand’s expansion from seven Porsche Design stores in 2004 to more than 122 by 2012 following the acquisition of 65 percent of shares by the German automaker Porsche.
The Porsche Design executive also discussed product expansions that cater to female consumers and build a more rounded lifestyle image as the brand ventures into new markets. Due to the company’s continuing growth streak, it is still working to gain widespread recognition among luxury consumers (see story).
The brand’s gradually transformed image is ferried by its strong sales.
Porsche Design reported a 45 percent increase in sales for the 2012 financial year that is largely a result of its strengthened retail presence.
The most growth was seen in Porsche Design’s own retail operations, which recorded a 94 percent growth. This increase is likely from the brand’s release of new products and its push of fashion throughout 2012 (see story).
However, the brand’s innovative roots lend it credibility when venturing into new categories.
“BlackBerry performance meets Porsche Designs’ engineered luxury,” Ms. Phillips said.
“Both the hardware and software are uniquely designed to combine the very best of both BlackBerry and Porsche Design.
Final take
Joe McCarthy, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York