Exploration
The Man Behind Al-Attiyah’s Epic Helmet Designs!
The Man Behind Al-Attiyah’s Epic Helmet Designs!
Back in the 70’s and 80’s helmet designs held the primary purpose of safety and protection. They were basic and a standard helmet design usually consisted of a design representing the athlete’s identity & his country. However, jump ahead to the mid 90’s and athletes started to care more and more about how their helmet is designed, and how every detail can be used to tell more about them. For example, Nasser Al-Attiyah’s helmets started to be more personalized and tailored for him. Year after year his helmets started to portray more and more about his identity.
Dieter Wunschel, a German helmet designer, is the man behind Nasser Al-Attiyah’s helmet designs, and is considered one of the best helmet designers worldwide.
Now let’s get to learn more about the man behind these incredible designs...
Nasser Al-Attiyah Dakar Rally 2017 Helmet Design
© Wunschel
How did Dieter Wunschel start his helmet designing career?
In 1947, the founder Hans Wunschel formed a company, which started as a bike dealer with a fuel station in 1955. Later on, he expanded this company to become a car dealer for DKW and Audi, then for Volkswagen.
Since 1996 the company is being managed by his sons, the Wunschel Brothers, Dieter and Hans-Juergen. The brothers are running the VW Dealership, a performance shop and the helmet painting department.
How did your passion with helmet designs start?
In 1978, helmets were black, white, yellow or red. I was 16 years old and the younger brother. Me and Hans had a passion for Motocross Racing, and I decided to paint my first helmet differently than the usual. So, I mixed red and white colors to make it look outstanding. Ever since then, I knew this was just the beginning.
Mohamad Burbayea’s Red Bull helmet design
© Wunschel
What’s your inspiration story that led you to paint Red Bull helmets for athletes?
My inspiration came from the Motocross scene. In 1992, Hans-Juergen and Christian Abt, which both used to race Motocross with us, went car racing. I decided to paint a cool Helmet for Christian, because at that time the car racing helmets where mostly white.
When the first ever Red Bull Supercross Team was founded in 1994, it was clear that our riders need something special and outstanding, and that was the birth of the Red Bull helmet designs. Want to know a cool fact? That first helmet design for Christian Abt is the main helmet design for his cousin Daniel Abt now.
What are the main design elements a anyone must pay attention for when designing a helmet?
First, you have to see the whole picture in your mind and how it should look like. Start with basic sketches and some colors. Afterwards, get into details and fine tuning. Figure out which elements are important for the person who wears the helmet and what colors are a favorite. For example, the 2016 helmet for Nasser Al-Attiyah included on the top part Dakar Rally trophy symbols for his historic Dakar wins in 2011 and 2015. That would definitely mean a lot to an athlete and encourage him.
Shadi Al Daherie 2017 Red Bull helmet design
© Wunschel
What would be your advice for an amateur who wants to be a helmet designer?
Get out there and open your eyes. Nature holds so many great pictures for us you don`t even see yet. Follow your visions and dreams and keep them always in your mind, someday they will come true. And start step-by-step, getting better and better comes with passion and practice.
What is the most memorable and significant helmet you ever designed?
Most memorable is still the helmet of Christian Abt with which everything started in 1992. The transition from a Motocross rider to a car racing star and AUDI DTM factory driver with our helmet design all the years meant something special to us.
Next to this was creating the first painted Red Bull helmet back in the days. From then on it became the coolest business to work in with the world’s coolest company. It also gave me access the craziest top athletes in the world, who then carry the "painted by Wunschel.de" logo on their helmets to the podium. This makes me proud to see.