a method of applying an applique to a support , comprising the steps , of providing a cover layer of synthetic plastic sheet material having a design surface with an outer contour line , a narrow outer bonding zone along the outer contour line and at least one inner bonding zone spaced inwardly from the outer bonding zone ; further providing an intermediate layer of a resiliently compressible latently adhesive thermoplastic material having spaces filled with a gaseous medium ; sandwiching the intermediate layer between the cover layer and a support material ; and pressing against the cover layer die means having outer and inner pressure faces corresponding to the outer and inner bonding zones and a raised cutting edge fixed along the outer pressure face and corresponding to the contour line , while activating the latently adhesive thermoplastic material of the intermediate layer and thereby bonding the cover layer by the intermediate layer in the outer and inner bonding zones to the support material while severing the cover layer and intermediate layer along the outer contour line , the presence of the intermediate layer resulting in formation of a cushion between the support material and the cover layer in the area surrounded by the outer bonding zone upon bonding of the cover layer to the support material .