Brooks Stevens
The industrial designer who coined 'planned obsolescence' and shaped the look of mid-century American cars, appliances, and even lawnmowers.
1911–1995 (age 84)·American industrial designer·Birthday: June 7·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Brooks Stevens believed good design was for everyone, not just the elite, and his work put that philosophy into millions of American homes and garages. Operating from Wisconsin, far from the East Coast design establishment, he brought sleek, optimistic styling to everyday objects. He designed the iconic Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, the first clothes dryer with a glass window, and the sleek, forward-looking lines of Studebaker cars like the 1963 Avanti. Stevens famously articulated the concept of 'planned obsolescence'—designing products to make consumers desire new ones—a principle that came to define post-war American consumer culture. While controversial, his drive was to make design an engine of economic growth. From motorcycles to outboard motors, his touch was broad, pragmatic, and unmistakably modern, helping to craft the visual landscape of the American dream in the 1950s and 60s.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Brooks was born in 1911, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Brooks Was Born
The biggest hits of 1911
Brooks's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1911Born
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1916Started school
The Battle of the Somme claims over a million casualties
President: Woodrow Wilson
1924Became a teenager
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1927Could drive
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1929Could vote
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1932Turned 21
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1941Turned 30
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1951Turned 40
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1961Turned 50
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1971Turned 60
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 70
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 80
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1995Died at 84
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
Key Achievements
- Designed the iconic Oscar Mayer Wienermobile in 1936, a rolling piece of American pop culture.
- Created the aesthetic for a wide range of Studebaker automobiles, including the groundbreaking Avanti.
- Pioneered the concept of 'planned obsolescence' in industrial design to drive consumer demand.
- Founded Brooks Stevens, Inc., one of America's major independent industrial design firms.
Did You Know?
He designed the first American-made civilian motorcycle after WWII, the Harley-Davidson Topper scooter.
He created the 'Windowmatic' dryer for Hamilton Manufacturing, the first with a see-through door.
His designs extended to graphic design and logos, including work for Miller Brewing Company.
He was an avid car collector and founded the Brooks Stevens Automotive Museum in Wisconsin.
“Planned obsolescence is the desire to own something a little newer, a little better, a little sooner than is necessary.”
