02 • THE DESIGN

Etienne Salomé

Etienne Salomé was born in Paris in 1980, where he also grew up. Since completing his Master’s Degree at the Royal College of Art in London in 2005, he has received international acclaim for his designs and art works, and is without question one of the most exciting French Designers and Artists of his generation.

While working as Deputy Design Director at Bugatti Automobiles, he contributed to Bugatti Design for more than 12 years.

In 2007 Salomé was project manager for the collaboration of Bugatti and Hermès that gave birth to the limited edition Bugatti Veyron FBG.

Moving on, Salomé designed an exterior and interior concept of the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, as well as the interior of the Bugatti 16C Galibier showcar and its numerous accessories, thus defining a true Bugatti experience for future customers and celebrating the 100 years anniversary of the Brand.

In the past decade the French designer not only contributed as a stylist, but also as an artist with his art works featured on the door panels of the Bugatti Vitesse Constantini as well as original hand sketched paintings on the leather applications of the Bugatti Vitesse Black-Bess. Elevating those cars to true rolling canvases, the sketches and images of which can be seen within this article.

Salomé’s work includes the interior of the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo and Bugatti Chiron, presented at the 2015 Frankfurt and 2016 Geneva motor shows respectively.

Etienne has worked on some amazing Bugatti projects, but his favourite has to be the ultimate tribute to Bugatti aesthetic, a true piece of automotive haute couture : “La Voiture Noire”. He was responsible for the exterior design of the famous one-of-one which sold to an undisclosed customer for around $19million.

I was recently delighted to speak in length on the telephone with Etienne and presented him with some questions which he has very kindly answered within this article I would like to take this opportunity to thank Etienne for his time, and as a brief note that there

will be a follow up in Issue 4 about exactly what he is doing now that he has left the wings of the mighty Bugatti Automobiles…

b500: What is your current job?

Etienne: After 12 years designing French supercars, I have left the company Bugatti Automobiles at the end of August 2019 to follow my own dream. I am now the CEO of my own company “Salomé Yachts and Design”. I launched my latest yacht, the 12 meter sport tender concept named”Atlantic” during the Monaco Yacht Show 2019. b500: What is your proudest achievement with Bugatti?

Etienne: Designing a Bugatti is similar to bringing a baby to the world, each of them are unique experiences, each create unforgettable experiences for life.

The design of the one-of-one Bugatti “La Voiture Noire”, based on the Chiron, is one of my favourite creations. It was introduced to the public during the Geneva Motor Show 2018, and as a result of its incredible powertrain, with a W16 quad turbo, incredible performances, unrivalled quality and its’

uniqueness, It is the most expensive new car ever built.

b500: What projects were you most involved with at Bugatti?

Etienne: When I started to work for Bugatti, the French supercar brand only had the Veyron, so I got to work on the Veyron Grand Sport, and then I designed the exterior of the Veyron Supersport which ended up breaking the world speed record. In 2009, to celebrate the Centenaire, I designed the interior from the Galibier 16C. I was then promoted to Head of Interior Design. The next chapter of Bugatti started in 2015 with the Vision Granturismo where I was responsible for the interior, it was a preview of my interior from the Bugatti Chiron publicly launched in 2016. Many concepts were later on realised to shape the future of the brand, and one of them resurfaced recently, the Atlantic concept and I was responsible for the interior of this very special automobile.

When the Director of Design departed for a sabbatical I took over his position. During those years I was not only responsible for the automotive design but also for the design of the licensed products, and as a result I designed the 22 meters Yacht “Niniette 66” for Palmer and Johnson, Numerous Parmigiani watches, a complete furniture collection with Luxury Living, Lego technique models of our car, and even a full carbon bicycle.

b500: Tell us about the Bugatti models that carry your artwork inside?

Etienne: In 2014, in order to support the sales of our open top car the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse, we created a limited edition “Les Legendes de Bugatti”. It was not only the fastest roadster in the world with its’ 1200PS but also extremely limited with a production of just 3 units. Inside the “Black Bess” edition, dedicated to Roland Garros, (the French pioneering aviator: Ed), I hand

painted the leather with racing scenes of Roland Garros driving his Bugatti type 18, and at the factory they used it to trim the door panels and the centre console box, turning this car into a true rolling canvas.

b500: Your canon of work encompasses your own art as well as automotive and marine design. Is there a discipline in which you either feel most comfortable or from which you derive the greatest satisfaction?

Etienne: Bugatti broke the world speed record in 2019, with 490 km/h, I always wonder where the customer could potentially use their cars… and this is what drove me to the yachting world. The idea of freedom, limitless speed, but in these days of pandemic and lock down, I feel very comfortable creating art, staying safe at home with my family.

b500: Do you believe the two merge or are design and art two separate things?

Etienne: With design you have to make products which can attract a lot of customers. Art you only do for yourself, regardless of whether anyone likes it or not, when you stand in front of the canvas or sit with an open sketch book you have the opportunity to express yourself and your innermost motivations. One can learn a lot from art, it opens your mind.

b500: What are you most proud of today in your own art?

Etienne: In 2019, with my gallery in Dusseldorf, the “Galerie Brecker”, I created a limited edition of 70 prints of a Porsche artwork which was fantastically received and Porsche loved it so much they created an article in their magazine “Christophorus”, in addition of giving me the honour of the front cover. b500: Is there a particular motor manufacturer or individual project with which you would have liked to have been associated?

Etienne: I love the company Porsche for their performance, and clear design DNA. There is something amazing about these sports cars that fascinate me and one day I would love to design a new Porsche model, raw, inspired by competition, made to last… one my granddaughter would love to find in an old barn in 50 years.

b500: Tell us about your involvement in the Amalgam Collection ‘all white’ Bugatti.

Etienne: I am actually the lucky owner of quite a few Amalgam models, I am fascinated by the 1/8 models for their level of details and realism. The quality is insane, it has also improved with

the years to such an extreme standard of craftsmanship. Those are more than simple models, they are the exact replica of the real car, made in relationship with the manufacturer. Painting the model all matt white was allowing me to see every single detail, being able to read the shapes of each of them. As if the car was made of porcelain... Bugatti was created 110 years ago, by a family of artists, distinguishing it from the others. Today we say Bugatti stands for Art Forme Technique, and the “all white” became a perfect representation of the Art side of the brand.

b500: What are you currently working on?

Etienne: I am focussing on the development of the sport tender “Atlantic”, limited to 60 knots, a revolution for the yachting industry as we are using a revolutionary flow

through technology in order to achieve best performance, comfort and safety at speed.

b500: What brings you the most happiness in life?

Etienne: I like being in control of my own time and schedule, or the speed at full power in my car… but I forget everything when my 7 years old daughter whispers in my ear she loves me.

b500: Finally, can you give b500 ‘an exclusive’?

Etienne: Yes, I am currently extending the brand Salome Yachts, opening a new department : “Salome Yachts Atelier”. We will start with a new single hull 70 feet available with 2000 PS and top speed over 50 Kn. This will be a full customisation program giving customers the chance to create their own personal yacht, make it unique, make it their own! I am also currently working on several floating luxury hotels projects, this would become perfect retreat wellness resorts. I believe there is a growing market for relaxation and disconnection in an ideal setting.

b500: Thank you Etienne for your time and here at b500 we wish you continuing success and good health and I look forward to showing much more of your design work in the next issue of b500 magazine.

You can follow Etienne @etienne_gallery on Instagram

www.etienne-salome.com