Sportiness, precision, and pushing boundaries – there are many parallels between Porsche and kitesurfing. This is one of the reasons why the brand has been involved in the continuing development of the sport since last year, with one of the main elements being its collaboration with leading kitesurfing manufacturer Duotone.
The partners’ first project together was adding fitness exercises tailored to the sport to the Duotone Academy app last year, with guidance from Porsche motorsport racers and their coaches. Now they have added another milestone: a limited-edition Porsche kite. Designed by Florian Panther, Creative Director of Duotone, it has become available as of 18 October and is being built in a very limited production run of 222 units.
Florian Panther was largely inspired by Porsche’s history and its motorsport DNA, which he absorbed by visiting the Porsche Museum. That he has loved Porsche since he was a child also played a role. The limited-run Porsche Edition contains many car-specific elements. The Creative Director himself describes the result as “a kite with a dynamically reduced design language”. „There is just so much to see on these cars, especially when it comes to motor-sports”, is how Florian Panther describes his source of inspiration. “At the same time, there is no model so much connected to Porsche as the 911.”
The 911 model designation is a significant design characteristic of the kite. The aspects that are inspired by motorsports include the wheel arch vent slits, a racing number, and arrows that would point to the tow hooks on a real racing car. Moreover, the Porsche Edition kite also bears the tapering form of the Porsche Crest.
Support for Young Talent
Part of the proceeds from sales of the kite will be going to Duotone’s programme promoting young talent. The kite brand’s Young Blood initiative aims to give young people the opportunity to develop on different levels and facilitate their entry into professional sport. Alongside physical aspects, the initiative includes meetings with professional sportspeople and training in social media and sponsorship acquisition. This year, Porsche also began supporting the Young Blood programme.
