In the automotive world, many classic design trends are experiencing a rebirth – and the Pepita pattern is one of the best examples of this. Once a symbol of elegance and chic, this iconic pattern is now making an impressive comeback, not only on the catwalks but also in sports car interiors. However, it’s not the easiest job in the world to retrofit a classic design in your own Porsche. This is where Project Pepita comes in.
The Pepita pattern has been deeply rooted at Porsche in particular since the 1960s. It adorned the seats and door panels of legendary models such as the Porsche 356 and the original 911. Therefore, it quickly developed into a design element that stands for exclusivity and style. However, the trend associated with the Pepita pattern goes far beyond its aesthetic appeal. It stands for a nostalgic return to classic values that are reinterpreted in a modern context.
In recent years, patterns such as Pepita have become increasingly popular again. It is used in limited special models such as the Porsche 992 Sport Classic as well as on Porsche Design furniture produced exclusively in cooperation with Vitra. These designs not only symbolize upswing and elegance, but also the timeless connection between past and present.
But the Pepita pattern is emblematic of a larger trend: more and more Porsche enthusiasts are attaching importance to customized interiors. They should not only express their personal style, but also perfectly match the configuration of their vehicle and their own preferences. Pepita embodies this desire for individuality and exclusivity like no other design. At the same time, it remains a timeless symbol of elegance and builds a bridge from the classics to modern sports cars.
The idea behind Project Pepita came from a simple observation: Luca and Niclas are self-confessed Porsche fans. As owners of Röhrle Mobility, one of Germany’s leading independent Porsche dealers, they also have extensive knowledge of the market. In conversations with their customers, the two noticed a steadily growing demand for individualized vehicle interiors.
At the same time, their friend, digitalization and marketing specialist, Jean-Philippe – a passionate Porsche enthusiast – was customizing the folding bucket seats of his Porsche 991 GT3 Touring. To do this, he delved deep into the subject with experienced car upholsterer Dominic. Jean-Philippe found that his project aroused great interest not only in himself, but also in his circle of friends. What started out as a small joint project has connected Jean-Philippe and Dominic on a daily basis ever since.
This combination of Lucas’ and Niclas’ market knowledge and Jean-Philippe’s practical experience in digital product management and passion for marketing, together with Dominic’s many years of experience in car upholstery, led to the perfect synergy. Together, they recognized the potential of their combined skills and founded Project Pepita.
Their goal is to combine high-quality saddlery with modern technology and user-friendliness. The result is a company that stands for a new kind of exclusivity in the interior of Porsche vehicles – while preserving the original spirit of the brand. Everything, from designing to production is done exclusively in Munich – 100% Made in Germany.
Combining individuality and user-friendliness – that’s what Project Pepita stands for. The aim is to enable a new dimension of vehicle individualization. Special interiors should not only be accessible to a few buyers of limited production supercars, but to all Porsche drivers. However, implementing such a project in the traditional way is not easy.
First you have to find a good saddler. During the first visit, you discuss the choice of fabrics and order samples. The saddler then measures the covers, which can take a few days. As soon as the samples arrive, you go back to the saddler to make the final decision. Only then can the saddler order the fabric.
They must also be technically familiar with the structure of the various seats. After all, extras such as seat heating or a seat occupancy mat require a different foam and a different upholstery structure. This is followed by another visit for removal and installation. That’s where the young Project Pepita team comes into play. Their goal is to simplify the process and give more people the opportunity to customize their sports car.
Project Pepita clearly focuses on digitalization and takes care of all the technical work in the background with its expertise. This allows the customer to concentrate fully on what matters: Designing their own seats according to their personal wishes. And Project Pepita has developed an innovative online configurator for precisely this purpose.
Project Pepita was born out of the desire to make high-quality and individual seat inserts for bucket seats easily accessible and affordable. We want to bring life to bucket seats!
Niclas Röhrle
Project Pepita thus enables Porsche drivers to give free rein to their creativity, design seat inserts according to their own ideas and immediately visualize these to match the existing seats. This supports the decision-making process considerably and offers customers certainty when choosing the perfect material and pattern.
With the innovative online configurator, Project Pepita simplifies this process considerably. The configurator makes it possible to visualize and customize the currently installed seat of a Porsche in all detail. You can choose leather color, trim, welt stitching and the matching seat inserts from the various materials and diverse configuration options. Project Pepita thus sets new standards.
At the end of the chain, the result is a handcrafted product that matches the quality level of the original equipment manufacturer with great attention to detail.
Jean-Philippe Defiebre
What feels easy and intuitive for the user must of course also be easy to order and produce. The team invested a lot of love and time in research, poring over countless catalogs and testing different materials on the various seat models. In this way, they built a bridge to the trade, the suppliers and the corresponding processes.
As many GT drivers are unfortunately still unaware of how quick and easy it is to change the seat inserts and cushions, Project Pepita’s team is focusing on transparency. To make the topic as accessible as possible to interested parties, there is plenty of information and pictures along the way. Incidentally, a lumbar support, for example, can also be retrofitted for greater driving comfort. Flatter seat cushions are also possible in order to sit a little lower in the car.
In the first step, the user selects their current seat in the corresponding leather color and its contrasting stitching. This creates an ideal starting point for customizing the seat covers. The next step is to select the desired material. Users can choose from the following options:
Depending on the material selected, the other options go into greater depth. The woven Alcantara® & leather offers almost infinite possibilities for finishing. In the final step, the user can decide whether to choose the seat cover without foam, with our premium foam – which offers very high resilience and durability – or the original Porsche foam.
The result is a fully visualized seat that is provided with a transparent price directly in the configurator. The entire order is then processed via an integrated online store system. “We literally take our customers by the hand from idea to implementation and make the process as simple and efficient as possible”, says Luca Röhrle.
You can now place orders in the Project Pepita online store. It offers worldwide shipping and the option to make individual requests. The range is being consistently expanded in terms of depth and breadth. The focus is on the introduction of new fabrics and further combination options for woven Alcantara® & leather. Another soon following visualization will be the folding bucket seats. Matching seat covers are already available to order. The team will also be adding further seat models to the range in the constantly growing configurator in the future.
With the Porsche Center 5 Seen and SSR Performance, Project Pepita has already gained renowned sales partners and will be approaching selected dealers over the next few weeks to establish a presence at the brand’s point of sale. And this is just the beginning.
Elferspot magazine