• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Forum
  • Design Studio
  • Upholstery Jobs
  • Newsletter
  • Sponsors

The Hog Ring

Auto Upholstery Community

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

The Amazing Story Behind Volkswagen’s Plaid Upholstery

October 10, 2019 By Nadeem Muaddi 2 Comments

The Hog Ring - The Amazing Story Behind Volkswagen Plaid Upholstery

Volkswagen’s plaid upholstery has made a huge comeback, and is even influencing the interiors of other makes and models. But do you know how the style originated?

Gunhild Liljequist, one of the auto industry’s first female designers, is credited with introducing plaid (or tartan) fabric to Volkswagen. Before her, the automaker’s interiors were pretty drab.

In 1964, she joined Volkswagen’s Department of Fabrics and Colors in Wolfsburg, Germany. Her previous job was a porcelain painter and chocolatier candy-box designer.

Liljequist didn’t know much about cars, but she lived for design. In her new role, she created and chose paint hues, trims and interior details. Basically, she made Volkswagen’s cars look good.

The Hog Ring - The Amazing Story Behind Volkswagens Plaid Upholstery

By all accounts, she was great at her job. So, it came as no surprise when Volkswagen enlisted her help in designing the interior of the all-new 1976 Volkswagen Golf GTI. The only instructions she was given was to transform the Golf into a sporty car that would appeal to the masses and capture the mood of the era.

After much brainstorming, Liljequist made two simple suggestions: Upholster the seats in plaid fabric and introduce a golf ball-style gear knob.

“Black was sporty, but I also wanted color and quality,” Liljequist said. “I took a lot of inspiration from my travels around Great Britain and I was always taken by high-quality fabrics with checked patterns … you could say that there is an element of British sportiness in the GTI.”

As for the golf ball gear knob, “that was a completely spontaneous idea!” she said. “I just expressed my sporting and golf associations out loud: ‘how about a golf ball as the gear knob?'”

Liljequist faced some resistance to her ideas, but the team eventually relented and the GTI debuted with a plaid interior and a golf ball gear knob.

The Hog Ring - The Amazing Story Behind Volkswagen Plaid Upholstery

It was an instant hit, and has since become an iconic design element in not just Volkswagen history, but automotive history.

Of course, that wasn’t Liljequist’s only significant contribution. In her 30-year career, she also designed the “Etienne Aigner” Mk1 Golf Cabriolet, which was influenced by the maker of handbags. She also discovered the iridescent, pearl color, which is largely responsible for the metallic quality of automotive paint today.

Liljequist retired in 1991, but as the automaker recently said, “her legacy is literally stitched into the fabric of Volkswagen.”

For more throwback articles, check out our “Industry History” section.

Filed Under: Archive, Industry History Tagged With: 1976 Volkswagen Golf GTI, Auto Trim, Auto Upholstery, Car Interior, Gunhild Liljequist, Plaid Fabric, Tartan Fabric, Volkswagen

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Charlton Dawson says

    September 16, 2020 at 10:15 pm

    hi where can get orders of this fabric for my seats

    Reply
    • Fred says

      February 10, 2021 at 12:26 pm

      Just do a search for “buy VW plaid upholstery”. Some of the suppliers
      https://headlinerdoctor.com/vw-plaid-upholstery-fabric-by-the-yard/
      https://www.ebay.com/itm/German-plaid-automotive-seat-upholstery-fabric-matches-VW-Golf-BY-THE-YARD-/133132221800
      https://relicate.com/collections/vw-golf-plaid-tartan-fabric

      Regards,
      Fred

      Reply

Leave a Reply to Fred Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

THR Sponsors

Haartz Right Rail Ad - 12
NC Sewing Machines
Miami Corporation
Top Down Group
Apex Leather
  • Albright's Supply
  • Douglass Interior Products
  • Keyston Bros
  • GAHH Automotive
  • Hyde Leather

THR Favorites

Should Auto Trimmers Join SEMA PRO?

In recent months, there’s been some talk … [more] about Should Auto Trimmers Join SEMA PRO?

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - 2013 Chevrolet Camaro Vinyl Top

2013 Chevrolet Camaro Rocks the Vinyl Top

In September, we reported on a new trend in … [more] about 2013 Chevrolet Camaro Rocks the Vinyl Top

Repair Dashboards with Vacuum Forming

Most auto upholstery shops repair vehicle … [more] about Repair Dashboards with Vacuum Forming

Building Brand Awareness for Your Shop

We’ve all been there before – standing … [more] about Building Brand Awareness for Your Shop

The Hog Ring - Why are Headrests Difficult to Remove

Why are Headrests Difficult to Remove?

Ever wonder why some headrests are difficult … [more] about Why are Headrests Difficult to Remove?

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Ish Jimenez - West Coast Customs

Talking Shop with Trimmer Ish Jimenez 3

The third and final installment of our … [more] about Talking Shop with Trimmer Ish Jimenez 3

Categories

Footer

Recent Articles

  • Apex Ultra Square Weave Carpet is Here!
  • Trimmer Albert James Breda Sr Dies at 84
  • It’s Almost Collector Car Appreciation Day
  • Nominate a Pro for SEMA Person of the Year
  • Sewn Tight Custom Interiors’ Secret to an Organized Shop

Recent Comments

  • Salvador hueramo on Keyston Bros is Giving Away a Consew Sewing Machine
  • Michelle Rack on Keyston Bros is Giving Away a Consew Sewing Machine
  • Izet on Keyston Bros is Giving Away a Consew Sewing Machine
  • Blois jeremy on Keyston Bros is Giving Away a Consew Sewing Machine
  • Greg Barker on Keyston Bros is Giving Away a Consew Sewing Machine

Advertise With Us!

We're always looking for companies to collaborate with. Watch this short video about the benefits of sponsorship and then email us to say hi.
anal porno bangbros rus porno yaşlı porno konulu porno olgun porno porno izle sarışın porno bakire sex 69 porno

Copyright © 2022 · Magazine Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in