Cars
Couture on Wheels: Legendary Fashion and Automotive Partnerships
Fashion and automotive brands have collaborated to create unique special editions. Notable examples include Pierre Cardin's Cadillac Evolution I, Lincoln's Cartier Edition, Gucci's Cadillac Seville, Peugeot's 205 Lacoste, and Hermès' Bugatti Veyron.
Fashion, design and automobiles have often intersected, creating special editions and collaborations that have resulted in a "win-win" for both brands involved. One of the first designers to merge fashion with automobiles was Pierre Cardin. In 1969, he personalized the Simca 1100 Cardin with unique finishes, fabrics and colors. He later worked on the AMC Javelin Pierre Cardin in 1971 and the Stash Cardin in 1976 with coachbuilder Franco Sbarro. In 1980, he founded Pierre Cardin Automotive in New York, creating the Cardin Evolution I based on the Cadillac Eldorado Coupé. These vehicles were showcased in international car shows alongside fashion models, turning the presentations into true fashion shows.
The luxury brand Lincoln, part of the Ford galaxy, collaborated with several designers in the 1970s and 1980s, including Emilio Pucci, Givenchy, Valentino and Versace, creating "designer series" models. The most famous was the Cartier Edition, featuring dove gray paint, white and red pinstripes and refined interiors.
