In sunny Newport Beach, California, there’s a hidden gem in the world of automotive design: Calty Design Research. Founded in 1973, Calty was Toyota’s first design studio outside Japan, created to help the brand connect with the American driver. Nestled deep in Southern California’s rich car and design culture, the studio quickly became a launchpad for bold, unconventional ideas. Over the years, many of those ideas have gone on to shape not just Toyota’s visual DNA, but more notably, the identity of Lexus.
Calty’s influence can be seen in some of the most iconic vehicles ever to wear the Lexus badge. One of its earliest wins came with the second-gen Toyota Celica in the late ’70s, but the real turning point came in the early ’90s. The 1991 Lexus SC 400—a sleek, sculptural coupe—was more than just a pretty face. It fused performance and luxury in a way few cars at the time could, and its silhouette was a direct product of the experiments happening within Calty’s walls. That car didn’t just look different—it felt different. And that’s what set Lexus apart.
The creative process at Calty has always been a little different. We recently spent some time with the designers to experience and participate in that process firsthand—Lexus style.
Immersing ourselves in creativity isn’t a one-step thing. I mean, how does anyone even come up with an idea? And once you do, how do you mould that idea into something others can feel, want, and crave? Something they’ll eventually drive? How do you channel universal emotions like comfort, excitement, and desire into design? Into metal, into motion?
To explore those questions, we started the day with a bit of sensory chemistry—crafting custom scents to understand how emotion can be triggered by smell alone (a lesson not lost on Lexus interiors, by the way). From there, we hit The Future Perfect’s LA showroom—a stylish collision of gallery and home goods. Lunch happened at Hauser & Wirth, a cultural anchor in the Arts District. Then it was time to immerse ourselves in elevated menswear at Departamento, one of LA’s best-curated multi-brand boutiques. And, as if the speakeasy-style entrance through Concierge Coffee wasn’t enough, the espresso hit just right. Stop flirting with me.
The next day, we stepped into Calty itself—into the heart of where Lexus dreams begin. From paint swatches to seat textures, cabin aromas to surface materials, we got a feel for the raw ingredients that eventually shape a Lexus. Yes, it was just a peek behind the curtain, but even that glimpse made it clear: the creative process here isn’t unlike our own. It’s a mashup of art, fashion, music, design, scent, taste—those abstract moments where something vague and beautiful starts to solidify.
Today, Calty continues to push Lexus forward. From fully electric concepts to performance hybrids that balance innovation and soul, this studio isn’t just responding to trends—it’s writing the next chapter. And with a second location in Ann Arbour, Michigan, focused on production design, Calty’s reach is stretching across both coasts and into the future.
Sure, it operates quietly. No neon signs. No flexing. But inside those walls? That’s where some of Lexus’s boldest ideas are born. Calty isn’t just a design studio—it’s where imagination gets the keys to the car. And honestly? I like where it’s headed.