The Makers

The Makers

INFINITI MAKERS

The Makers series focuses on creators who are redefining traditional crafts and skills with modern techniques and materials. Their innovative work inspires us at INFINITI. This season, we meet the team behind our upcoming luxury SUV, the All-New QX80.

Latest Episode

Takuma Kadotani

Takuma Kadotani is the All-New QX80’s Aerodynamics Engineer. He explains the science behind automotive design and how his expertise influenced the bold, aerodynamic SUV exterior of the All-New QX80.

INFINITI Makers of QX80 Takuma Kadotani video
INFINITI Makers of QX80 Aerodynamic Engineer video

Streamlined Design

For Takuma, being a maker is about providing value for people. Using the principles of aerodynamics, he helped shape an exterior that effortlessly glides through the air, for a smooth yet powerful driving experience.

The Perfect Angle

In aerodynamic car design, every curve of the vehicle is considered. Takuma carried out many trials and experiments to ensure that the final shape of the All-New QX80 was visually elegant and optimal in performance.

Discover All-New QX80
INFINITI Makers of QX80 Takuma Kadotani examining QX80 design

All Episodes

Watch All Episodes

The latest season goes behind the scenes and meets the team who make INFINITI vehicles. In previous seasons, we focused on the work of designers, architects and craftspeople who are a source of inspiration to us.

The Makers of QX80
INFINITI Makers of QX80 chief product specialist Antonio Lopez episode 1

EP 1 – Antonio Lopez

In the first episode of The Makers of QX80, delve into the story of Antonio Lopez, Chief Product Specialist.
INFINITI Makers of QX80 interior designer Tom Hu episode 2

EP 2 - Tom Hu

Tom Hu, Interior Designer talks about how striving to create something iconic led to the QX80’s visionary cabin.
INFINITI Makers of QX80 colour designer Megumi Mitsui episode 3

EP 3 - Megumi Mitsui

Megumi Mitsui, Color and Trim Designer talks about how nature inspired the color of All-New QX80’s luxury interior.
INFINITI Makers of QX80 aerodynamics engineer Takumi Katodani episode 4

EP 4 - Takuma Kadotani

Takuma Kadotani is the All-New QX80’s Aerodynamics Engineer. He explains the science behind automotive design and how his expertise influenced the bold, aerodynamic SUV exterior of the All-New QX80.
INFINITI Makers of QX80 lighting designer Naomichi Ide episode 5

EP 5 - Coming Soon

Naomichi Ide, QX80 Lighting Designer.
INFINITI Makers of QX80 dealership building designer Hiroyuku Sakurai episode 6

EP 6 - Coming Soon

Hiroyuki Sakurai, Dealership Building Designer.
INFINITI designer Nada Debs leaning on a desk

EP 1 – Nada Debs

Nada Debs believes craft goes beyond geography, language and culture. She discusses her creative process and the repetitive patterns that feature in her work, and we draw a parallel with those which can be found in the INFINITI QX60.
Taiwanese shoemaker EJ So holding a brown shoe

EP 2 - EJ So

Taiwanese shoemaker EJ So wants to maintain the value of shoe craftsmanship. His aim is to make pieces that are timeless. The INFINITI QX55 has a bold fresh design which we hope will be timeless, like EJ So’s shoes.
Canadian artist Hitoko Okada admiring her hanging art

EP 3 - Hitoko Okada

Hitoko Okada brings traditional materials and techniques together in a contemporary way to create powerful statement pieces that play with light. We introduce her to the INFINITI QX60 which has a bold shape that also plays with light.
Rodrigo Ortigosa, the founder of Nami Sake, leaning against a wooden bar

EP 4 - Rodrigo Ortigosa

Rodrigo Ortigosa, founder of Nami Sake, discusses how they use a balance of tradition and innovation to create a beautifully refined, modern product. He drives the INFINITI QX55 and finds that it follows the same principles.
Close-up view of a Japanese craftsman working in Kyoto, Japan.

EP 1 – Ryue Nishizawa

In the first episode, we meet Ryue Nishizawa, a Japanese architect who discusses the connection between interior and exterior space in Japanese architecture. We compare his views to the design of the INFINITI QX60.
Japanese architect, Shigeru Ban standing on his Zen Wellness Seinei building in Hyogo.

EP 2 – Shigeru Ban

Shigeru Ban is a Japanese architect known for his innovative buildings and use of unconventional materials. In this episode, he talks about how buildings should be strong on the outside and feel natural on the inside, like the INFINITI QX60.
Japanese architect, Junya Ishigami wearing a brown blazer.

EP 3 - Junya Ishigami

We meet Junya Ishigami, a talented architect who blends traditional elements with new ones. He discusses how he wants to make architecture that will be around for a long time. We have a similar ambition for the INFINITI QX60.
Japanese architect, Yuko Nagayama, staring up at an orange and black ceiling

EP 4 - Yuko Nagayama

Yuko Nagayama is a leading architect influenced by nature. In this episode, she talks about how her buildings draw on leaf patterns, water and natural geometry to create texture. We also focused on texture when designing the INFINITI QX60.
Close-up shot of architect Yuri Naruse sitting on wooden furniture

EP 5 - Yuri Naruse

In this episode, we meet Yuri Naruse, a talented architect whose designs aim to keep people connected to nature and its benefits. The benefits of nature are why we designed the QX60 cabin to let in as much natural light as possible.
A Japanese craftsman handling tools in Kyoto.

EP 1 - Takahiro Yagi

Takahiro Yagi’s family-run workshop uses ancient Japanese design practices to bring his traditional creations to life and provide a lasting sense of comfort. He admires the comfort and luxury when we show him the interior of the QX50.
A Japanese craftsman working with metal wires in Kyoto.

EP 2 - Toru Tsuji

Toru Tsuji was doubted by his peers because of his tattoos. But he’s proved them wrong by using unconventional methods to help his craft thrive. He works with metal to give it a soft elegance, something he discovered in the styling of the QX55.
A Japanese craftsman hammering a wooden bowl in Kyoto.

EP 3 - Shuji Nakagawa

Shuji Nakagawa’s blend of traditional woodworking craft and modern methods are brought to life in contemporary shapes. He discovered the same attention to detail is in abundance in the QX60’s cabin.
INFINITI The Makers Episode 4 Preview

EP 4 - Horiki Eriko

Horiki Eriko is an expert washi paper designer, a traditional form of Japanese papermaking. She fuses technology with traditional craft by blending innovation and tradition. She found the QX55 to be powerful and elegant.
INFINITI The Makers Episode 5 Preview

EP 5 - Hosai Matsbayashi

Hosai Matsbayashi is a ceramic artist, who combines traditional techniques with modern aesthetics to make beautiful tea ceremony wares. He admires the way the QX60’s body shape is so fluid it almost feels soft.
INFINITI The Makers Episode 6 Preview

EP 6 - Tatsuyuki Kosuga

Tatsuyuki Kosuga used to hang out with biker crews. Nowadays he’s a leading craftsman. He creates objects from natural materials that improve with use and age. We introduce him to the QX55, which he thinks is elegant and powerful.
7 Japanese craftspeople standing for a photo.

The Makers Roundtable

This episode serves as a wrap up to season 1. It features all 6 Kyoto craftspeople in conversation with Taisuke Nakamura, Head of INFINITI Design, as they explore modern Japanese craftsmanship, timeless beauty, and more.

Featured Vehicles

Design Philosophies in Focus

Throughout The Makers series, we teamed each episode with the INFINITI vehicle we believe reflects the same design philosophies we so admire in our subjects’ work.

Angled view of the all-new 2025 INFINITI QX80 SUV parked on a driveway

All-New QX80

Explore INFINITI's upcoming luxury SUV. Powerful and sophisticated, it offers unrestrained hospitality for up to eight people.

Discover All-New QX80

QX60

INFINITI’s mid-size 7-seater SUV. Outside, the athletic silhouette is balanced with subtle features. Inside, the luxurious cabin has everything you need for modern life.

Discover QX60
Angled view of the 2024 INFINITI QX60 3-row SUV
Angled view of a red 2024 INFINITI QX55 crossover SUV at night

QX55

Our radically styled 5-seater crossover. It has the soul of a performance coupe and the body of a stylish crossover SUV.

Discover QX55

QX50

Our compact 5-seater SUV made for the city. With swooping lines and a luxurious cabin, it’s perfect for those who are searching for something different.

Discover QX50
2024 INFINITI QX50 compact SUV on the road

Next Steps

2024 INFINITI Vision Qe electric car surrounded by leaves

On the Horizon

Discover our visionary new INFINITI models including our first all-electric vehicle, Vision Qe.

Driver looking for an INFINITI dealer

Explore Current Range

Our line-up creates a world of possibilities, from design and power to safety and comfort.

The Story Continues

Follow along as we reveal future updates and announcements.