If you believe Alcantara, the trend in auto interiors includes more three-dimensional effects, contrasting materials, tailored details and bold color palettes. The Italian automotive interior designer has just released to automakers new automotive applications for 2016-17 that use embossed, woven or perforated raw and synthetic materials incorporating tone-on-tone stitching, thermo-welded synthetics and electro-welding on foam bases.
Alcantara sees an emerging use of bold geometric patchwork, honeycomb accents and three-dimensional effects using contrasting materials for automotive interiors. New auto interiors might include crackled polyurethane or illuminated materials that embed Swarovski crystals in laser-made perforations.
“The concept book offers car makers a look into the future to help them select leading-edge Italian-made materials for vehicle upholstery and interiors,” said Andrea Boragno, Alcantara’s chief executive officer.
The concept book has automotive colors and trims grouped in four stylistic moods: Hyperbolic Geometry, Continuum, Deep Blue and Augmented Reality.
• Hyperbolic Geometry has three-dimensional black and grey graphics with red accents with honeycomb patterns and tone-on-tone stitching with woven Alcantara threads and piping. Other techniques include black-on-black microdots; a combination of two-color materials, and geometric patchworks connected by thermo-welded polyurethane.
• Continuum has natural tones accented with vibrant colors. It juxtaposes finished raw materials with more stylized materials, mirroring trends in fashion and jewelry design. Continuum is made from beige Alcantara with perforated foam, subtly highlighted with neutral tone-on-tone stitching and embossed with acid-green polyurethane details. Other techniques include crackled white laminates; polished metallic bronzes; innovative multi-level electro-welding on foamed bases, and white diluted resin in denim on beige Alcantara.
• Deep Blue comes from ocean and space hues in deep blue tones. Swarovski crystals embedded in laser-made perforations illuminates Alcantara. The blue surfaces include reflective inserts or piping and polished black star-effect laminates. Computer-controlled perforations are in a silver background on denim with an electro-welded foam layer in black and acid green.
• Augmented Reality has three-dimensional patterns and hypnotic graphics to create optical illusions. It is said to be the most artistic and provocative of Alcantara’s four moods. Augmented Reality features a bright color palette of orange, red and purple with contrasting white, light grey and ice. It incorporates synthetic materials such as silicon, resin and shimmering polyurethane that contrast with basic Alcantara materials. Pleating, laser or precise computer-controlled perforations and electro-welded details round off the final style.
