Stellantis Design Studio’s Joker Throne Wins Big

Stellantis Design Studio is no stranger to pushing boundaries in the automotive world, but this time, the team stepped outside the garage and straight into Gotham. In a bold collaboration with Italian luxury furniture maker Formitalia and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products (WBDGCP), Stellantis has taken home one of the industry’s most respected honors: the Archiproducts Design Award 2025 for The Joker Throne.

The award was officially presented on November 6th during the ADA Night ceremony at Superstudio+ in Milan, where an international panel of jurors praised the throne for its daring concept, provocative styling, and emotional impact. While it isn’t a car, the piece reflects the same design language Stellantis has been infusing into its next-generation interiors—bold shapes, contrasting themes, and storytelling through form.

Unveiled back in April at Salone del Mobile 2025, The Joker Throne stands as the signature piece of the larger Joker Collection—a full suite of furniture inspired by the Clown Prince of Crime. Stellantis Design Studio approached the project with the same mindset they apply to vehicles: create something expressive, functional, and deeply character-driven.

According to Klaus Busse, Head of Stellantis Design Studio, the project was meant to flip expectations. “This collection is a bold statement of duality and conflict,” Busse said. “Seeing The Joker Throne recognized by the Archiproducts Design Awards is an extraordinary honor, confirming the validity of our commitment to transcend borders and challenge conventional aesthetic canons.”

The throne itself is unmistakably tied to The Joker’s twisted persona—an exaggerated smile, dramatic shapes, and a presence that feels both playful and menacing. The design team wanted it to feel like something you’d actually find in the villain’s lair: luxurious but unsettling, theatrical yet functional.

That theme runs throughout the entire Joker Collection, which includes the Chaos Sofa, Asylum Armchair, Smile Sofa, and the mischievous Prankster/Dispenser. Each piece plays with asymmetry, tension, and contradiction, blending high-end craftsmanship with offbeat humor. Stellantis even used AI as part of the early creative process to help capture the character’s chaotic essence before Formitalia’s world-class artisans brought each concept to life.

Global Creative Director Hugo Nightingale explained the mindset behind the project: “We loved the idea of creating this villain’s lair,” he said. “A space that gives you a false sense of security—just like The Joker himself.”

For Stellantis, this win is more than a trophy—it’s proof that automotive design can successfully jump into entirely new categories without losing its identity.

At the end of the day, The Joker Throne isn’t just furniture—it’s a reminder that great design doesn’t always sit still. Sometimes, it laughs back.