Feature: Car Design and Fashion
By Guy Bird2023-06-29T11:30:00
Fashion has always had an influence on car design and collaborations between the two are nothing new. But when individuals within those industries work together, with equal input and interest, the results can be spectacular. Interior Motives investigates a few recent high-profile examples…
Flicking through the annals of Interior Motives to find the last time this subject was covered in some depth – the March/April 2008 issue if you still have it – it has to be conceded that the introductory words to my feature entitled “Victims of fashion…” were somewhat cynical: “Fashion designer car collaborations are, with a few exceptions, ill-conceived desperate marketing ruses,” the article began. “
Usually the process starts with a car company in need of a makeover courting the latest designer label to do a ‘special edition’ of one of its ageing motors in the hope they can sprinkle some ‘designer fairy dust’ over it to make it less rubbish. Then the so-called ‘hot’ designer devotes almost no time to the project, sews their logo into the seat backs, makes a mess, takes the money …and runs.”