The Designer Automobile Fashion Ludo

The luxury sector extends far beyond fashion, encompassing an array of industries where exclusivity, craftsmanship, and personal expression are paramount. Luxury cars, like high-fashion products, serve as powerful symbols of individuality and status, often chosen to reflect the owner's personality and lifestyle. Both industries share a focus on design precision, advanced technology, and curated experiences that speak to a refined sense of taste. For instance, collaborations between luxury fashion houses and high-end car brands highlight this synergy, blending the art of tailoring with automotive design to create bespoke interiors and limited-edition models. This intersection showcases how luxury in fashion and automotive worlds is not just about products, but about creating lasting emotional connections and unique, statement-making identities.

One of the first-ever collaborations was the partnership between Bugatti and Hermès. Ettore Bugatti commissioned saddles and various other leather accessories from Émile-Maurice Hermès, the grandson of founder Thierry Hermès, before World War I. This leather later appeared on Bugatti racing cars in the 1920s. In the 1970s, Cadillac and Gucci joined forces to release a special Seville edition in 1978-79.

The longest-standing collaboration remains the Hermès-Bugatti alliance, established in the 1920s and still ongoing. Another notable longterm partnership is Eddie Bauer and Ford, which ran from 1984 to 2010, resulting in popular models like the Explorer, Bronco, and Expedition.

The fashion brand with the highest collaborations is Hermès - Bugatti (Since the 1920s), Hyundai (2013), Pagani (2019, and Rolls-Royce (2021), followed by Gucci - AMC Hornet (1972-73), Cadillac (1970s), and Fiat (2011 and 2013).

These distinctive partnerships are mostly for the interior and exterior furnishing of the vehicle. Berluti refurbished the interiors of Meyers Manx’s Beach Buggy with signature design elements in 2020. Paul Smith created its colourful version of Mini Cooper with 26 colours in 86 stripes in 1999. BMW made its i7 series’ headlights with the iconic crystals of Swarovski.

Besides just working on the aesthetics of these high-end cars, luxury car companies are also revamping and launching new cars or buses, and some are also collaborating on apparel, accessories, leather goods, and footwear collections.

Asphaltgold and Nike partnered with Brabus to launch a package that includes the custom Smart | BRABUS Asphalt gold edition and Nike Air Max 1 Ultra Flyknit iD by Asphaltgold in 2017. Collaborations like McLaren x Belstaff (2018), Nissan x United Colors of Benetton (2017), Lamborghini x Supreme (2020) and Mercedes Benz x Heron Preston (2021) focussed on fashion collections, whereas Porsche x Boss (2018-23), Mercedes-Benz x Sacai (2023), Scuderia Ferrari x Puma (2024) and Mercedes-Benz x Palace (2021-22) focused on releasing collections of apparel, accessories and bags. Automobili Lamborghini and Tod's launched their first shoe collection at Pitti Uomo in Florence as the first step of their joint venture which includes apparel and leather goods.

Rick Owens and Moncler went on a different path. They collaborated with Iveco Italia to launch a V8 Diesel bus featuring a lounge space, a small kitchen at the centre, a large bedroom with a closet area, and a bathroom. The entire interior of the bus showcased a stainless steel look. It also showcased Moncler and Rick Owens’ silent sleeping pod covered in steel with soundproof isolation.

Another unique collaboration was between Moncler and Mercedes-Benz - presenting an art piece named PROJECT MONDO G in February 2023, focusing on the iconic off-road G-Class with the signature design jackets of Moncler. The whole project was under the impression of a space voyage. The collaboration also led to another car reveal, named Project G-Class Past II Future and clothing collection by the artistic director of Kenzo, Nigo in October 2024.

Staying true to the latest trends, such as being eco-friendly, launching electric cars in collaboration with fashion brands is also not left out in this sector. Louis Vuitton designed a collection of travel luggage for the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid in 2014. Paul Smith converted the Mini Cooper from the 1998 MINI Paul Smith Edition into an electric car as a part of the MINI Recharged project in June 2022.

In October 2024, Giorgio Armani and Fiat launched their 500e Giorgio Armani - Collector’s Edition with a new style and electric model. The car also follows sustainable standards.

Now, the wine industry is also venturing into auto collaborations. In July 2024, the Italian wine brand Tignanello celebrated its 50th anniversary in collaboration with Maserati for the development of its customized one-off sports car. The car possesses a garnet-chestnut colour painting, denoting the colour of the soil at the Tignanello’s vineyard.

In the luxury sector, collaborations between fashion and automotive brands are evolving as a powerful trend, redefining the boundaries of both industries. By blending the essence of fashion’s artistry with automotive innovation, these partnerships have created icons that speak to both style and engineering prowess, showcasing how deeply intertwined luxury, heritage, and modern technology have become. With collaborations spanning interiors, aesthetics, and even eco-friendly models, these partnerships cater to discerning consumers seeking experiences that go beyond function to reflect a lifestyle. As luxury brands explore new alliances—from fashion and cars to fine wines—the sector continues to reinvent itself, proving that the pursuit of exclusivity and personal expression has no limits.

Cover Image: Fiat Youtube Channel