Automotive fashion

Car brand Lexus recently challenged four fashion designers to rethink their notions of recycling and automotive design for an advertising campaign to appear in Vogue as part of its Lexus Fashion Workshop. The designers were tasked to use some of the more than 2,000 individual parts of a completely dismantled Lexus CT hybrid, a vehicle that is 90% recyclable. The four pieces were displayed at the recent Art Basel exhibition in Miami, and will be highlighted in a six-page advertisement in the January 2012 issue of Vogue.

The designers who took part included: Moss Lipow, who used a transmission starter and exhaust manifold gasket, to create a head piece; jewellery creator Eddie Borogo used valve lifters, crank bearings and hose clamps for his innovative ‘The Value Collection’ of accessories;  John Patrick, featured floor mats made from plant-based plastic, sustainable sound-dampening material, wire harness, leather seat covers and cargo covers to design ‘Nomadic Sanctuary’, which included a trench coat, shorts and a clutch; and the final collection, ‘The Luna Shoe’ was created by Alejandro Ingelmo using armrest leather trim and clear plastic tubing.

"Merging the worlds of luxury automobiles, art and fashion is another example of how Lexus is 'Engineering Amazing' or maybe more appropriately, 'Engineering Unexpected,'" said Brian Smith, vice president of marketing for Lexus. "We were able to challenge four designers to turn one of our most progressive hybrid vehicles into innovative fashion pieces, inspiring the designers, and the world, to see things differently."

Images/Video: Lexus