40 cool cars created by fashion designers

When cars and fashion collide

We look at some of the hits and misses of what happens when the worlds of fashion and cars collide.

We start with one of the finest: a 1998 Mini Sprite finished in Paul Smith Blue and fitted with chrome grille, door handles and bumpers, plus a green Union Flag badge. This is definitely how a fashion car should be done.

Paul Smith and Mini Mk2

Last year, it was announced Paul Smith and Mini are collaborating once again. “Further information will follow in due course,” teased the famed British brand.

“Key to a lot of the most iconic examples of design is simplicity,” said Sir Paul Smith. “In other words, it’s about what you leave out, not what you add.”

He also hinted at the approach it could take. “We have always sought a responsible approach to materials and production conditions. Using recycled packaging, reducing fabric waste and powering our shops with renewable energy sources are just a few of the measures we have introduced and we’re constantly looking at ways that we can do more.”

Watch this space…

Citroen GS by Tristan Auer for Les Bains

In 2020, Citroen launched a range of clothing and accessories to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the GS. It was designed in collaboration with Boutique Les Bains, the high-end design house in the heart of Paris. Everything in the GS50 collection has been designed to pay homage to the Citroen GS, which launched at the 1970 Paris Motor Show. The car you see here was customised by interior designer Tristan Auer for Les Bains.

Jeremy Scott and the Smart Fortwo Forjeremy

Jeremy Scott, the self-proclaimed “last rebel of the fashion scene” said this Smart was “something that expressed [his] dreams and fantasies”. One man’s dream is another man’s nightmare.

Matthew Williamson and the Rover 25

Remember the Rover 25 Art Car? There’s little chance you could forget it. In fact, it’s probably been giving you nightmares since 2002. Matthew Williamson was inspired by Bollywood and Moulin Rouge.

Matthew Williamson and the Rover 25

If nothing else, this proves that Bollywood and Moulin Rouge should never meet. A backlit pink dashboard moulded in translucent plastic? Oh dear.

Paul Smith and the Jaguar X-Type

The jury is still out on this Paul Smith creation. Age has been kind to the Paul Smith Jaguar X-Type, which used to look like someone had plastered some Homebase wallpaper to the bonnet, roof and boot lid.

Paul Smith and the Land Rover Defender

And as if to cement his position as king of the fashion cars, Paul Smith helped to create this bespoke Land Rover Defender. So much class and so much want. Sadly, it was a one-off.

Victoria Beckham and the Range Rover Evoque

These limited edition, ahem, posh Evoques came with a hand-stitched leather wallet signed by Victoria Beckham herself. Well, she was the Evoque’s creative design director…

Land Rover and Barbour

‘Barbour for Land Rover celebrates the sport of rugby with a special capsule collection.’ We’re trying to work out if that means a headache capsule…

Land Rover and Barbour

We’re also not convinced by the roof ornament on Lawrence Dallaglio’s Range Rover.

Mini Clubman and The Gentleman Blogger

Mini teamed up with The Gentleman Blogger to ‘explore what makes a Modern Gentleman today’. We’re sure the two chaps enjoying a pint at the Shakespeare’s Head have a few opinions on that…

Gucci and the Fiat 500

This is Russian model Natasha Poly, demonstrating a slightly unorthodox approach to polishing a bonnet.

Fiat 500CbyGucci

Here’s the convertible version of the 500byGucci, aptly named the 500CbyGucci. Yes, it is all one word. It’s a fashion thing. Probably.

Giorgio Armani and the Mercedes-Benz CLK

Is that a grimace or a smile on the face of Giorgio Armani? Whatever, there’s something a tad uncomfortable about this photograph.

Bentley Collection

Bentley launched its new Collection at the Bentley Boutique at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. It featured everything from this photo frame designed in Portland leather and chrome edging…

Bentley Collection

…to what Bentley calls the Heritage collection. We can get behind the ‘number nine’ theme, a reference to the supercharged 4.5-Litre Blower from the 1930 Le Mans race.

Gianni Versace and the Lamborghini Murcielago

This Murcielago was the result of a collaboration between Lamborghini and Gianni Versace. Only 10 were built and each owner received an exclusive Versace ceramic watch.

Michiko Koshino and the Fiat Seicento

Michiko Koshino created the Fiat Seicento 2Tone, which looked like somebody had emerged from the bodyshop with the wrong panels. Koshino’s coat of many nightmares.

Allegra Hicks and the Fiat Grande Punto

Despite sounding like the name of a British Leyland special from the 1970s, Allegra Hicks is a fashion designer who created this Fiat Grande Punto.

Robert Cavalli and the Mini Paceman

We can’t say we approve of this one-off Mini Paceman, unveiled at the Life Ball Mini 2013, but the fact it raised lots of money to help combat HIV and AIDs is no bad thing.

Giles Deacon and the Vauxhall Tigra

This Vauxhall Tigra was designed to raise money for Breast Cancer Care. For that reason alone, we approve of its existence.

Mischa Woeste and the Chevrolet Spark

Mischa Woeste used this colour scheme and weird roof ornament to disguise the fact that the Chevrolet Spark often finished bottom in satisfaction surveys. We think.

Judy Clark and the Ford Focus

Judy Clark created a dress made out of parts taken from a Ford Focus. We kind of wish she had used a rusty Mk3 Ford Fiesta as the donor car.

Fiat 500L-Vans design concept

The Fiat 500L isn’t the prettiest car on sale in the UK, so we take our hats off to Vans for creating this menacing concept inspired by the original hi-top shoe.

Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake by Spencer Hart

Here’s Spencer Hart doing his best ‘Man at C&A’ pose, with a CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake displaying “hues of inspiration from 1960s funk music.” Of course it does, Spencer.

Nissan Micra ELLE

The Nissan Micra ELLE. Not to be confused with the poverty-spec L models from the 1970s and 1980s. Oh how we miss the old-style model hierarchy.

Fiat 500 Your Wear app

“If only I could find an app that analysed my Facebook photos to discover the colour I wear the most, before telling me what that might mean about me,” said nobody ever. Fiat begged to differ.

Seat Mii by Mango

The Seat Mii by Mango is ‘built on the belief that thinking small shouldn’t mean sacrificing on style’. Right you are, then.

John Varvatos and the Chrysler 300C

Fashion luddites that we are, we had to turn to the search engines to discover who John Varvatos is. Sadly, he’s not the same singer who often entertains us at the local taverna.

Lambretta and the Caterham Seven

This 2010 special edition slots neatly into the ‘fashion hit’ category. The Lambretta makeover suits the Caterham Seven to a tee. Two great British icons working in harmony.

Fiat 500 by Diesel

We’re not entirely sure what’s going on inside this Fiat 500 by Diesel, but the steamy windows look a tad dodgy. Still, the onlookers look like they’re having a good night out.

Bugatti Veyron by Hermes

Initially only available in brown, Bugatti later released four new colours of the Veyron Hermes special edition. Mind you, when you’re splashing the cash on a Veyron, you’re entitled to some choice.

Citroen 2CV Hermes

A Hermes creation of a different kind. The Citroen 2CV Hermes was built to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the iconic French car and featured brown paint and lots of natural leather. Glorious thing.

Citroen DS3 YSL

We stick with Citroen for the DS3 YSL of 2010. Back then, DS was a model range under the Citroen umbrella. Today, the fashionable DS brand has flown the nest.

Ginetta fashion collection

Ginetta, which has been building cars since 1958, has recently launched its own fashion brand. We know next to nothing about fashion, but we do think the collection looks rather good.

Ginetta fashion collection

All the garments within the collection are designed and made in Britain and produced in limited numbers.

Felder Felder and BMW i3

In 2015, German sisters Daniela and Annette Felder, otherwise known as Felder Felder, unveiled a fleet of BMW i3 electric cars finished in their Florida Flamingo print.

Volvo and London College of Fashion

Students at the London College of Fashion created clothing inspired by Volvo XC90. Probably the safest clothing in the world.

McLaren 570GT MSO Cabbeen Collection

In 2018, McLaren and Chinese fashion designer Mr Cabbeen combined to create a bespoke 570GT. The car was finished in MSO Bespoke Obsidian Black paint complemented by a dragon design hand-painted in Gloss Speedline Gold on both door inserts.

Rolls-Royce Dawn Inspired by Fashion

A year earlier, Rolls-Royce unveiled the Dawn Inspired by Fashion. Highlights included Andalucian White paint for the body, plus a choice of three colours for the soft-top roof: Mugello Red, Cobalto Blue or Mandarin.

DS 3 Ines de la Fressange

The DS 3 Ines de la Fressange came complete with a leather ‘Voyageur’ bag – designed to match the exclusive Granite Blue interior. Other highlights included an Ink Blue body, Opal White roof and 17-inch black diamond-cut alloys.

Fiat Panda Trussardi

Not to be confused with the Fiat Panda Lusardi (which doesn’t exist), the Panda Trussardi showcases ‘the best of Italy’. Trussardi is an Italian fashion house, which explains why the Panda is wearing such a bold look. The colour is Caffe Italiano Brown, which is available with either a matt or metallic finish. It looks bella.