We had the good fortune of connecting with Mark Stehrenberger and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mark, putting aside the decision to work for yourself, what other decisions were critical to your success?
I wanted to become a car designer since very early childhood. But growing up in Switzerland, without a car industry to speak of, gave no other option but to emigrate. Since I loved American cars, I decided to emigrate to America in 1964.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
While taking classes part-time at ACCD, I worked as designer in a lighting company in LA. Opened my own design studio in ’69 (Design70), consulting for a number of lighting firms. Was approached by Hot Rod magazine to project and illustrate future car models. Soon, Motor Trend and Road&Track magazines requested my services on regular basis. Over time, I set up a network of informants inside the various car makers’ design studios, first in Detroit, then in Europe, later in Asia. The media named me “The Father of Spy Pictures”. By my fairly accurate predictions of what future car models could look like, car makers got a glimps of what the competition was up to, and Stehrenberger drawings became the “Bible” for car designers within the various design studios. Eventually, my illustrations appeared in 50+ magazines regularly worldwide. That prompted car makers in USA, Europe and Asia to hire me, now Mark Stehrenberger Design, to help create new design trends such as minivans, pickup trucks and SUVs, with emphasis on the unique and carefree California lifestyle. I’m still at it, and probably will until I fall from my stool for the last time. I don’t do drugs or drink; at my age I get the same effect just from standing up too fast from a sitting position

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’d take him/her to downtown LA, garment district (lively), walking tour along Broadway (so much history!), Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Melrose Ave, Glendale Galleria, Olvera Str., museums, Petersen car museum (love that building!), art galleries, Santa Monica pier. Eat dim sum at Din Tai Fung Taiwanese resto at the Glendale Galleria, Canter’s on Fairfax, Philippe’s Pastrami resto, Momed in West LA.
Hang out at “Dolls Kill” on Fairfax (super cool, my fave store for funky young women’s fashion design. I don’t wear it!), Griffith Observatory,
Hollywood Blvd on Saturday night, to study people. Original Farmers Market on Fairfax. Little Ethiopia on Lower Fairfax (most beautiful women in LA!).

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
After arriving in LA and a visit to Art Center College of Design, I decided to follow my dream and my passion to become a car designer. I enrolled in transportation classes but never graduated. 22 years later, I was invited to teach at ACCD (Pasadena) and Art Center (Europe), their European campus in Switzerland. Many of my former design students are climbing up the corporate ladder, some of whom in leading design positions with the major international car makers. To this day, we are in contact with each other and frequently meet up like a family. The late Syd Mead, the futuristic designer, and Giorgetto Giugiaro, the Italian car designer, were my greatest influencers and deserve most of the credit why I ended up as a car designer.

Instagram: Mark_auto

Linkedin: Mark Stehrenberger

Youtube: Mark Stehrenberger

Other: Stehrenber@yahoo.com
Stehrenber@Gmail.com
Stehrenber@aol.com

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