Faces of GM

Heather Scalf: Detroit-raised designer takes cues from around the globe

January 13, 2012 at 12:22 pm

Native Detroiter Heather Scalf remembers walking around Detroit’s Cobo Hall as a young girl in the 1980s. She said, “I came to the Detroit Auto Show while I was growing up.” This week, she was at the media preview days for what is now called the North American International Auto Show, as media from around the world viewed her efforts.

Today Heather is lead color and trim designer for Buick. This week, the luxury small crossover Buick Encore was introduced as the newest member of the growing Buick lineup.

Heather stayed close to home when she went to college at Lawrence Technological University, and she remained in the area when she got her first job after college with GM Design. In the eight years since then, she’s been collaborating with and visiting GM Design studios around the globe as she’s worked on some of Buick’s hottest models.

Heather says she started working on the Encore almost two years ago. It’s a typical part of her job that she works on future vehicles, and she also works around the world. She explains “The color and trim (group) works collaboratively with our global counterparts. We look at the future trends in fashion, interior design, architecture, and we come up with several ideas and proposals of color combinations, variance of hue, saturation of colors that we explore.”

Heather mentions the international aspect of her job is one of the best parts of working for GM Design. “I love working on global programs and working very closely with every region. I think it’s very exciting for us seeing the different cultures, working with the different cultures and sometimes traveling over there, getting to meet face to face with them and seeing how they live, how their culture is.”

Heather speaks from a design viewpoint when she says, ““Warm expressive wood does really well for us in the Buick.” And she speaks from a car fan viewpoint when you ask her how she wants the new Buick owner to react. She says, “As the customer opens the door, they should say, ‘Wow! I want to get in that vehicle.’ And when they get in, they should have a feeling of luxury and sophistication.”

The saddle-and-cocoa color combination shown on the Encore at the NAIAS is right in line with the latest fashion trends, but Heather is already thinking ahead to the next stage. She says, “Color is one of the easiest things to change out and refresh for future models. We can change that out pretty quickly and still keep up with the fashion industry.” But the scope of the auto industry means the color and trim team needs to be constantly looking to the future. She states, “Our job is critical in determining what those future color positions and spaces are going to be, working several years out. It’s very important for us to understand where those color placements are going.”

The Detroit native continues to tap sources around the globe to predict future trends for Buick.

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