All images are copyrighted and strictly for educational and viewing purposes.

July 2008

AOD:
How did you get into the realm of design?

ANTHONY PROZZI:
Well, I was very lucky to grow up in New York City where great design exists and happens, in my humble opinion. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the city that raised me, as well as, to an early mentor, Gloria Jacobs (owner of a high-end shop in Brooklyn, NewYork) who took me under her wing.

AOD:
Who or what has influenced your work, and which designers do you admire?

ANTHONY PROZZI:
I’m a huge fan of architect, Zaha Hadid and fashion designers Zac Posen and Hussein Chalayan – I feel they picked up, in theory, where the Constructivists of the 20s and 30s left off, which is one of the most influential design periods. My bible is Vision in Motion by Moholy-Nagy.

AOD:
You’ve spent most of your professional life in the fashion industry. Was it difficult to transition from fashion to the automotive industry?

ANTHONY PROZZI:
Not at all. You’ve probably heard this a million times before but the principles of great design are the same: proportion, variation, stance, point of view, conscience. So, if you’re designing an article of clothing, a chair or a car, the process stays the same.

AOD:
What motivates you to continue being a designer? Where do you get your inspiration and creative ideas?

ANTHONY PROZZI:
Well the world constantly changes, as does public opinion. Someone once told me that people have a new perception on what is fresh every six months, so as a designer you’re always thinking about “what’s next” and how relevant it is to the world you’re creating it for.

AOD:
The interior design of the 2009 Ford Flex was created using layers of different fabrics and textures – wood, metal, fabric – to create a sense of spaciousness, while not compromising design versus function. What steps did you take to come up with color schemes, fabrics, and other materials to help you design the interior of the new Ford Flex cross/utility vehicle?

ANTHONY PROZZI:
I handled it the same way I would choose what I wear. We dress in layers, shirts, undershirts, overcoats, belts, accessories. I applied those same principles to the Ford Flex interior and created multiple depths of layers to add interest and visual play.

Something I learned from the interior designer Charlotte Moss, “It’s all in the mix”. And that’s true regardless if it’s a car or how you decorate your home. The other test to pass was if we would wear the colors or use them in our home – when we said ‘yes’ we knew it was right for the vehicle.

AOD:
Was it difficult to work with engineers in order to bring your ideas to fruition?

ANTHONY PROZZI:
Not at all, in fact with the development of the Flex, everyone shared the vision.

It was one of those moments when the stars, moon, sun and planets all aligned and everythign came together. Special thanks to Ken Rhodes, the virtual modeling team and Gary Boes. I know it sounds like an Academy Award speech but without their support the interior of the Flex would not have happened.

AOD:
What kind of car do you drive? What color is it and how does it express your personal style?

ANTHONY PROZZI:
This is funny, but I just picked up a dark green Mazda Miata soft-top for the summer – it’s an escapist sort of vehicle which I need right now.

AOD:
What music are you currently listening to on your iPod? Does music play an important role in your life? If so, why?

ANTHONY PROZZI:
Music, as with all the arts, are extremely important. Again, I think everyone has heard this before but, it is essential to expose kids to the arts, music, dance, early on in school.

Right now, I have Shy Child playing, some Rachmaninoff and early Iggy Pop and the Stooges.

AOD: 
From your professional experience, what advice can you give those breaking into the design industry – and particularly the automotive and/or fashion?

ANTHONY PROZZI:
Stay true to yourself – it always must come from the heart – work hard and allow yourself to be exposed to all aspects of design and culture.

For more information about Anthony Prozzi and to view more of his work visit:

Press: digitalsnippets.ford.com

Essential: CarDesignNews.com

Reading: Vision in Motion by Lázló Moholy-Nagy (This became my design bible.)