Brands that dress cars

It may seem strange that a brand that specialises in dressing people would choose to dress automobiles, but this is nothing new. Designers have attempted to incorporate elements that distinguish their products ever since the beginning of the automotive industry. Sometimes by attracting other brands. A collaboration is the simplest way, but there are other occasions when fashion brands have appeared on cars and their stories go much further.

Carhartt Automobile Corporation

In 1910, Carhartt had already established itself as a seasoned manufacturer of workwear, particularly for railroad workers. But Hamilton Carhartt, the brand’s founder, decided to try his hand at car manufacturing as well and set up the Carhartt Automobile Corporation. In just two years, Carhartt produced several mid-range models before disappearing for good. 

Barqueta adidas

León de Cos Borbolla put Puma and adidas in check in Spain with a simple gesture: registering both names in the Spanish trademark register. For some time only he could use Puma and adidas trademarks. And he linked it with another of his passions, motor racing. Some of his rally cars, such as the so-called adidas Barqueta, bore the trademarks he once registered.

Hummer H3T Concept

It was only a concept car that never went into series production, but Nike‘s input (without visible logos) completely changed this Hummer. The culprits were John Hoke III (Chief Designer Officer) and Tracy Teague (Nike Maestro, Nike Max2 CB) who used ACG ideas to update the tyres and revamped Nike concepts for the interior design.

Smart Jeremy Scott 

Jeremy Scott used a reference he had already used in his collaboration with adidas, the wings, for his interpretation of the electric Smart For Two. Only 500 units went on sale.

Peugeot 205 Lacoste

The Peugeot 205 Lacoste, a classic collaboration and a symbol of the 1980s, stood out for its extras, such as electric windows, door pockets, a sliding roof, and a central locking system, as well as its aesthetic details, obviously in green and white.

Land Rover Defender Paul Smith

British designer Paul Smith, a frequent user of the Land Rover Defender, was commissioned to create a special edition to mark the end of production, inspired by the various versions created for special services, fire brigades, coastguards, armies… 

Lamborghini Aventador S Yohji Yamamoto

The combination of reds and blacks in Yohji Yamamoto’s FW2020 collection inspired Lamborghini to create a special edition of his Aventador S to commemorate the opening of the first Lamborghini Lounge in Tokyo.

Mercedes-Maybach by Virgil Abloh 

The Mercedes-Benz Group, through its historic Maybach brand, collaborated with Virgil Abloh to create an outdoor prototype that inspired a limited edition of 150 Maybach S680s. Its $150,000 price tag already made it one of the most expensive cars before it went on sale.

Porsche 911 SC ALD

Collaborations between Porsche and Aimé Leon Dore have become a classic back-and-forth, with Porsche-branded clothing and Teddy Santis-designed cars. One example is their second collaboration, this Porsche 911 Super Carrera.

Mercedes Heron Preston

Mercedes and Heron Preston‘s work commemorated the airbag’s 50th anniversary as a safety feature, and the American designer took it into his own territory with a collection made from used airbags.