{"id":9344,"date":"2019-04-19T08:50:15","date_gmt":"2019-04-19T06:50:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/?p=9344"},"modified":"2019-04-19T08:51:08","modified_gmt":"2019-04-19T06:51:08","slug":"interview-pierre-leclercq-lavant-citroen-french-english","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/?p=9344","title":{"rendered":"Interview de Pierre Leclercq : l’avant-Citro\u00ebn. FRENCH\/ENGLISH"},"content":{"rendered":"

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ENGLISH VERSION AT THE END OF THE POST<\/strong><\/h3>\n

L’interview de Pierre Leclercq \u00e0 lire sur votre site<\/strong>\u00a0sur un autre ‘post’ publi\u00e9 aujourd’hui, r\u00e9v\u00e8le la strat\u00e9gie qu’il entend d\u00e9ployer apr\u00e8s son arriv\u00e9e \u00e0 la t\u00eate du design Citro\u00ebn en fin d’ann\u00e9e derni\u00e8re.\u00a0Avant de d\u00e9couvrir sa nouvelle vie chez le constructeur fran\u00e7ais, il est bon de lui demander de nous \u00e9voquer rapidement son parcours.<\/p>\n

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\u00ab\u00a0Apr\u00e8s quatre ans de design industriel \u00e0 Li\u00e8ge, en Belgique, j\u2019ai fait ce dont je r\u00eavais depuis tout gamin\u00a0: acc\u00e9der \u00e0 une \u00e9cole de design. En 1996, je suis all\u00e9 en Suisse \u00e0 Vevey \u00e0 l\u2019Art Center mais l\u2019\u00e9cole a ferm\u00e9 quelques mois apr\u00e8s mon arriv\u00e9e. J\u2019ai d\u00fb poursuivre mes \u00e9tudes dans leur maison m\u00e8re \u00e0 Passadena aux \u00c9tats-Unis.\u00a0\u00bb
\n
\nVoir le site Art Center :\u00a0http:\/\/www.artcenter.edu<\/a>\u00a0dont le d\u00e9partement Design Transport est dirig\u00e9 par Stewart Reed ci-dessous :<\/em><\/p>\n

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Les \u00e9tudes, cela signifie aussi les stages. Le premier est chez BMW\u00a0?
\n<\/strong>P.L.\u00a0: \u00ab\u00a0J\u2019ai envoy\u00e9 mon portfolio chez Pininfarina et BMW. Chris Bangle m\u2019a r\u00e9pondu dans la nuit\u00a0! Il m\u2019invitait \u00e0 rejoindre l\u2019\u00e9quipe \u00e0 Munich en 1998.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n

Bangle, un designer hors norme. Il a compt\u00e9 pour vous\u00a0?
\n<\/strong>P.L.\u00a0: \u00ab\u00a0Il a \u00e9t\u00e9 tr\u00e8s important, tout comme Adrian van Hooydonk qui m\u2019a embauch\u00e9 par la suite. On avait une totale libert\u00e9 de cr\u00e9ation !\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n

Dipl\u00f4me en mains, il n\u2019y avait pas que BMW\u00a0dans votre esprit ?
\n<\/strong>P.L.\u00a0: \u00ab\u00a0Je sors de l\u2019\u00e9cole en 1999 mais \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9poque BMW est en pleine affaire avec la marque Rover. Je d\u00e9cide de faire le tour de l\u2019Italie avec mon portfolio, chez Bertone, Pininfarina, Zagato. J\u2019ai toujours r\u00eav\u00e9 de travailler l\u00e0-bas car les jeunes peuvent s\u2019y exprimer avec une grande libert\u00e9.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n

Vous faites un passage chez Zagato\u00a0?
\n<\/strong>P.L.\u00a0: \u00ab\u00a0Lorsque je rencontre Jean-Pierre Plou\u00e9 chez Ford (voir interview \u00ab\u00a0Leclecq chez Citro\u00ebn\u00a0\u00bb sur le \u2018post\u2019 suivant) il me dirige vers Ghia, le studio de Ford en Italie. Mais j\u2019ai quand m\u00eame le c\u0153ur qui me dit d\u2019aller chez Zagato. L\u00e0-bas, j\u2019aurais d\u00fb dessiner les Zagato esp\u00e9r\u00e9es par la direction mais en fait, elles ne sont jamais venues et j\u2019ai dessin\u00e9 des chariots \u00e9l\u00e9vateurs. Apr\u00e8s trois mois, j\u2019ai rempli le coffre de ma voiture avec mes affaires et je suis parti directement chez Ghia\u00a0! Je ne voulais pas foutre en l\u2019air ma carri\u00e8re d\u00e8s mon premier job\u00a0!\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n

Et BMW vous rappelle…
\n<\/strong>P.L.\u00a0: \u00ab\u00a0Chez Ford, le studio italien n\u2019\u00e9tait pas franchement soutenu par J.Mays (directeur de la cr\u00e9ation chez Ford NDA) et il a ferm\u00e9 mais j\u2019en suis parti juste avant car Adrian Van Hooydonk m\u2019a propos\u00e9 de revenir bosser chez BMW.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n

Aux \u00c9tats-Unis chez BMW designworks, vous avez touch\u00e9 \u00e0 autre chose que l\u2019automobile\u00a0?
\n<\/strong>P.L.\u00a0: \u00ab\u00a0Non, chez Designworks<\/em>, les designers automobiles ne font que des autos.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n

Les deux derni\u00e8res ann\u00e9es chez BMW \u00e0 la t\u00eate de la division \u00ab\u00a0M\u00a0\u00bb sont sp\u00e9ciales…
\n<\/strong>P.L.\u00a0: \u00ab\u00a0J\u2019y ai appris le management. C\u2019est moi qui aie demand\u00e9 \u00e0 Adrian \u00e0 faire autre chose, \u00e0 faire plus\u00a0! \u00a0Mais il m\u2019a dit que le seul changement qu\u2019il pouvait me donner \u00e9tait de prendre en main le design de la branche \u00ab\u00a0M\u00a0\u00bb. Il venait de ramener les gars du studio \u00ab\u00a0M\u00a0\u00bb \u00e0 Munich mais ils \u00e9taient habitu\u00e9s \u00e0 \u00eatre \u00e0 l\u2019ext\u00e9rieur. Alors le c\u00f4t\u00e9 social a \u00e9t\u00e9 compliqu\u00e9. C\u2019\u00e9tait un beau challenge, j\u2019ai fait mes classes de manager.\u00a0Mais \u00e7a a surtout \u00e9t\u00e9 l\u2019occasion de travailler sur un super projet BMW de renaissance de la M1 sur la base de la i8. C\u2019est un projet qui devait sortir en s\u00e9rie. On avait une voiture assez g\u00e9niale, mais qui n\u2019a pas abouti pour des raisons plut\u00f4t politiques de changements de directeurs dans diff\u00e9rents d\u00e9partements. Des probl\u00e8mes d\u2019\u00e9go. Dommage car c\u2019\u00e9tait un beau projet de renaissance de la M1 pour les 100 ans de la marque.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n

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\nLorsque Pierre Leclercq prend la direction du design de la branche “M”, il oeuvre sur une BMW M1 con\u00e7ue sur la base de la i8. Le projet sera h\u00e9las abandonn\u00e9<\/em><\/p>\n

Vous passez ensuite en Chine, chez Great Wall Motors. La Chine, un passage oblig\u00e9\u00a0?
\n<\/strong>P.L.\u00a0: \u00ab\u00a0Pas du tout\u00a0! Mais lorsqu\u2019un designer veut \u00e9voluer, il n\u2019y a pas beaucoup d\u2019opportunit\u00e9 car les \u00e9quipes sont si petites, qu\u2019il faut presque attendre que votre sup\u00e9rieur parte pour esp\u00e9rer \u00e9voluer\u00a0! J\u2019ai pris l\u2019option de la Chine car j\u2019avais comme mission de m\u2019occuper du design d\u2019un groupe automobile.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n

Pendant quatre ans, la transition a d\u00fb \u00eatre difficile \u00e0 vivre\u00a0?
\n<\/strong>P.L.\u00a0: \u00ab\u00a0Il y a deux mani\u00e8res d\u2019envisager le m\u00e9tier en Chine. Soit vous vivez l\u00e0-bas comme un expatri\u00e9 d\u2019un constructeur europ\u00e9en ou am\u00e9ricain, soit vous int\u00e9grez un groupe Chinois.\u00a0Quand j\u2019ai sign\u00e9, j\u2019\u00e9tais le premier europ\u00e9en dans une bo\u00eete de 60\u00a0000 chinois, c\u2019\u00e9tait un choc culturel \u00e9norme et une exp\u00e9rience de vie exceptionnelle. On a fait 40 voitures en 4 ans et j\u2019ai particip\u00e9 aux dessins de certaines d\u2019entre elles car quand tu dois composer une \u00e9quipe de A \u00e0 Z, au d\u00e9but tu r\u00e9alises 80% du boulot de style, et au fur et \u00e0 mesure que l\u2019\u00e9quipe se compl\u00e8te, tu reprends ton job de manager.<\/p>\n

Un autre homme a compt\u00e9 pour vous, Luc Donckerwolke (ci-dessous) qui remplace Peter Schreyer dans le\u00a0groupe Hyundai-Kia !
\n<\/strong>P.L.\u00a0: \u00ab\u00a0Luc a pris un poste important chez Hyundai et Genesis (depuis octobre 2018, Luc a succ\u00e9d\u00e9 \u00e0 Peter Schreyer NDA). Il m\u2019offre la possibilit\u00e9 de reprendre la direction du design Kia. C\u2019est g\u00e9nial car je tombe dans une marque internationale, bien organis\u00e9e…”<\/p>\n

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Ce n\u2019est pas le cas des marques Chinoises\u00a0?
\n<\/strong>P.L.\u00a0: \u00ab\u00a0Il existe une diff\u00e9rence \u00e9norme entre la mani\u00e8re de travailler en Chine et en Cor\u00e9e.\u00a0Les Cor\u00e9ens comprennent une chose que les Chinois n\u2019ont pas encore comprise, c\u2019est d\u2019investir au bon endroit\u00a0!\u00a0Les Cor\u00e9ens sont tr\u00e8s r\u00e9actifs, ils sont pr\u00eats \u00e0 tout changer tous les deux ans\u00a0!\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n

Pierre Leclercq \u00e9tait destin\u00e9 \u00e0 une belle carri\u00e8re au sein du groupe Cor\u00e9en, mais il y eut un coup de fil en juillet dernier d\u2019un certain Jean-Pierre Plou\u00e9… Voir notre \u2018post\u2019 \u00ab\u00a0Interview\u00a0: Leclercq chez Citro\u00ebn ”<\/p>\n

Vous pouvez d\u00e9couvrir une interview du Bastognard r\u00e9alis\u00e9 en Belgique ici :\u00a0https:\/\/www.tvlux.be\/portrait_de_pierre_leclercq_directeur_du_design_chez_citroy_n-30964-999-312.html<\/a>\u00a0(r\u00e9alis\u00e9 par TV Lux en janvier dernier<\/strong>) o\u00f9 l’on comprend que Leclecq a un faible pour l’hydrog\u00e8ne qu’il trouve “fantastique”.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

ENGLISH VERSION :\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cAfter four years of industrial design in Liege, Belgium, I did what I had dreamed of since I was a kid: going to a design school. In 1996, I went to Switzerland to Vevey at the Art Center but the school closed a few months after I arrived. I had to continue my studies at their parent company in Passadena, USA. \u00bb<\/p>\n

Study also means internships. Is the first one at BMW ?
\n<\/strong>P.L.: “I sent my portfolio to Pininfarina and BMW. Chris Bangle answered me in the night! He invited me to join the team in Munich in 1998. \u00bb<\/p>\n

Bangle, an extraordinary designer. Did he matter to you ?
\n<\/strong>P.L.: “He was very important, as was Adrian van Hooydonk who later hired me. We had total freedom! \u00bb<\/p>\n

Diploma in hand, wasn’t it just BMW in your mind ?
\n<\/strong>P.L.: “I graduated from school in 1999 but at the time BMW was in full business with the Rover brand. I decide to go around Italy with my portfolio, at Bertone, Pininfarina, Zagato. I have always dreamed of working there because young people can express themselves with great freedom. \u00bb<\/p>\n

Are you visiting Zagato’s ?
\n<\/strong>P.L.: “When I meet Jean-Pierre Plou\u00e9 at Ford (see interview “Leclecq at Citro\u00ebn” on the following “post”) he directs me to Ghia, Ford’s studio in Italy. But I still have a heart that tells me to go to Zagato’s. Over there, I should have designed the Zagato’s that the management had hoped for, but in fact, they never came, and I designed forklifts. After three months, I filled the trunk of my car with my stuff and went straight to Ghia’s! I didn’t want to ruin my career from my first job! \u00bb<\/p>\n

And BMW reminds you….
\n<\/strong>P.L.: “At Ford, the Italian studio was not really supported by J. Mays (Creative Director at Ford NDA) and the studio closed but I left just before because Adrian Van Hooydonk asked me to come back to work at BMW. \u00bb<\/p>\n

In the United States at BMW designworks, did you touch anything other than cars ?
\n<\/strong>P.L.: “No, at designworks, car designers only make cars. \u00bb<\/p>\n

The last two years at the head of “M” Division are special….
\n<\/strong>P.L.: “I learned management there. I’m the one who asked Adrian to do something else, to do more!\u00a0 But he told me that the only change he could give me was to take charge of the design of the “M” branch. He had just brought the guys from studio “M” back to Munich but they were used to being outside. So the social side was complicated. It was a great challenge, I did my managerial classes. But above all, it was an opportunity to work on a great BMW project to revive the M1 on the basis of the i8. It was a project that was to end in series. We had a pretty great car, but it didn’t succeed for rather political reasons of changes of directors in different departments. Ego problems. Too bad because it was a great project to revive the M1 for the brand’s 100th anniversary. \u00bb<\/p>\n

Then you go to China, to Great Wall Motors. China, an obligatory passage ?
\n<\/strong>P.L.: “Not at all! But when a designer wants to evolve, to rise in rank, there is not much opportunity because the teams are so small, that you almost have to wait for your superior to leave to hope to evolve! I chose China because my mission was to design an automotive group. \u00bb<\/p>\n

For four years, the transition must have been difficult to live with ?
\n<\/strong>P.L.: “There are two ways of looking at the business in China. Either you live there as an expatriate from a European or American manufacturer, or you join a Chinese group.\u00a0When I signed, I was the first European in a company of 60,000 Chinese, it was a huge culture shock and an exceptional life experience. We made 40 cars in 4 years and I participated in the drawings of some of them because when you have to compose a team from A to Z, at the beginning you do 80% of the style work, and as the team completes, you take up your job as a manager.<\/p>\n

Another man was important to you, Luc Donckerwolke who replaces Peter Schreyer in the Hyundai-Kia group !<\/strong>
\nP.L.: “Luc has taken up an important position at Hyundai and Genesis (since October 2018, Luc has succeeded Peter Schreyer NDA). It gives me the opportunity to take over the direction of Kia design. It’s great because I’m falling into an international, well-organized brand…”<\/p>\n

Isn’t that the case for Chinese brands ?
\n<\/strong>P.L.: “There is a huge difference between the way of working in China and Korea.\u00a0The Koreans understand one thing that the Chinese have not yet understood, it is to invest in the right place! The Koreans are very reactive, they are ready to change everything every two years! \u00bb<\/p>\n

Pierre Leclercq was destined for a great career with the Korean group, but there was a call last July from a certain Jean-Pierre Plou\u00e9… See our “post” “Interview: Leclercq at Citro\u00ebn “Leclercq<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ENGLISH VERSION AT THE END OF THE POST L’interview de Pierre Leclercq \u00e0 lire sur votre site\u00a0sur un autre ‘post’ publi\u00e9 aujourd’hui, r\u00e9v\u00e8le la strat\u00e9gie qu’il entend d\u00e9ployer apr\u00e8s son arriv\u00e9e \u00e0 la t\u00eate du design Citro\u00ebn en fin d’ann\u00e9e derni\u00e8re.\u00a0Avant de d\u00e9couvrir sa nouvelle vie chez le constructeur fran\u00e7ais, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9358,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9344"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9344"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9344\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9361,"href":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9344\/revisions\/9361"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9358"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}