Ever since Vogue dubbed a 1920s Chanel dress the “Ford” after the car-maker’s iconic Model T, fashion and cars have been intrins­ically linked. One&Only invest­igates the ultimate in designer ensembles…

Coco Chanel once said that “fashion changes, but style endures”. Little surprise, then, that her classically chic “Little Black Dress” has become a wardrobe staple for women the world over. Perhaps more surprising is that Chanel’s inaugural LBD was compared to, of all things, a contrastingly inelegant hunk of steel. Style bible Vogue christened the short, simple black dress that graced its pages in 1926 as the “Chanel ‘Ford’”, predicting that the dress would become as accessible to all social classes as the zeitgeist Model T that revolu­tionised travel amongst middle-class America. Vogue, unsur­prisingly, was absolutely right—and fashion and cars have been swaying influence on each other ever since.

While the miniskirt has come in and out of fashion over the past 50 years, the Mini Cooper has maintained its hip reputation with reinventions by fashion’s most coveted designers

While the miniskirt has come in and out of fashion over the past 50 years, the Mini Cooper itself has maintained its hip reputation with reinventions by fashion’s most coveted designers. Quant herself was paid homage with the 1998 Mini Designer, which featured her daisy motifs on the steering wheel and bonnet badge, while a 1998 limited edition was unleashed in collab­oration with celebrated British designer Paul Smith. For the past 11 years, Mini has famously sponsored an AIDS charity initiative with the annual auction of a car that has undergone a full makeover from designers such as Versace, Kenneth Cole, Diane von Furstenberg, Calvin Klein, and, for 2011, twin brothers Dan and Dean Caten of DSquared2.

Inside track

While Mini has certainly coined designer collab­oration, the British brand was by no means the first car company to harness fashion’s influence. In 1972, AMC released special editions of cars with cosmetic enhancements for its interiors, known as trim packages. The Hornet was given Gucci’s signature green and red stripes in an upholstery makeover, while the Matador and Javelin SST received attention from Oleg Cassini and Pierre Cardin respectively. In the late 1970s, Ford jumped on board with several designer editions of the Lincoln Continental Mark V, which at the time was a byword for luxury, and attracted unique option packages with styling influence from Bill Blass, Cartier, Givenchy and Pucci.

In more recent years, Alfred Dunhill gave a nod to Aston Martin in 1997 to create a special edition DB7, while Gianni Versace gave his approval in 2007 for a limited edition of the 640 horsepower Murcielago LP640, which came with matching Versace luggage, driving shoes and gloves. Victoria Beckham was appointed the creative design executive for the special edition Range Rover Evoque in 2010, proving that designers are still sought after by car manufac­turers for their creative prowess.

Classic models

Although he’s never designed a car, Ralph Lauren is easily fashion’s most passionate admirer of automobiles, describing them as “moving art” in his book Speed, Style and Beauty. Lauren’s incredible collection, spanning striking models from the 1920s to the present day, is so renowned that a selection went on display in Paris at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs for four months earlier this year. Visitors were treated to a glimpse of the fashion legend’s impeccable taste, with highlights including the Bentley Blower featured in Ian Fleming’s early James Bond novels and a Bugatti 57 SC Atlantic Coupé, one of only two still in existence.

Top gear

The running theme of fashion designers influ­encing cars seemed like a one-way street until recently, when Paul Smith paid homage to his 1990s Mini Cooper design with a range of accessories, such as messenger bags. However, it was British brand PPQ that took its automotive muse one step further, with an Alfa Romeo-inspired dress at London Fashion Week in February 2011. It was influenced by the Italian marque’s sporting lines and featured its Cloverleaf symbol in jewel-like decor­ations, which were, fittingly, adorned to a Little Black Dress. While this dress may not revolu­tionise the modern woman’s wardrobe like Chanel’s, it is certainly a testament to the relationship that continues to blossom between fashion and its stylish automotive counterparts.

Photography – BMW AG/Alfred Dunhill/PPQ