Fashion Wheels Revving Up: Collaborations Kick Off with Style in Automotive Circuit

Cars and High-End Fashion: The New Love Story

From the handcrafted elegance of leather-bound interiors to the design aesthetics that mimic runway trends, cars and couture have shared a deep-rooted adoration for craftsmanship for years. But today's automotive fashion collaborations are moving beyond the cabin upholstery and into a new, uncharted territory. This is no longer just about quilted seats or custom embroidery – it's about cultural clout.

In a changing luxury landscape, younger, more diverse, and increasingly female consumers are revolutionizing the way we perceive luxury – and the car industry is eager to dress the part.

Bentley: The Fashion-Forward Marque

When it comes to diving headfirst into the world of high-end fashion, none seem more daring, expressive, and ahead of the curve than Bentley. With its bespoke division, Mulliner, taking center stage, Bentley is embracing the fashion world as much as a muse as a mirror, using fashion partnerships to mirror the individuality of their evolving clientele.

British-Indian designer Supriya Lele's 2024 collaboration marked a turning point, co-creating a one-off Bentayga S in a deeply nuanced, sapphire-toned hue, Nīla Blue, exclusive to Mulliner. The vehicle's detailing, from stained walnut veneers to pinstriped 22-inch wheels, was more reminiscent of a runway piece than a road car.

This same sense of expressive freedom defined Bentley's SS25 Fashion Week collaboration with Annie's Ibiza – a glittering, couture-meets-vintage brand beloved by celebrities like Zendaya, Kate Moss, and Cara Delevingne. Guests were chauffeured in Flying Spur Mulliners, arriving in style for Annie Doble's celebration of craft, storytelling, and maximalist femininity.

"Luxury mixed with luxury," as CCO of Bentley Motors Wayne Bruce puts it – an alignment not just of aesthetics, but of clientele. Bentley's future strategy is clear: Lean into fashion's daring, its diversity, and its emotional resonance to shape a new language of opulence.

McLaren: Disrupting the Luxury Terrain

"The next era of luxury isn't just about the product; it's about the relationships you build with your customers," says McLaren's Global Marketing Director, Andrea Bermudez. Positioned at the 'pure entertainment' end of the supercar spectrum, McLaren is evolving beyond performance into the realm of curated lifestyle.

Bermudez explains, "It's about enhancing our clients' lives, from the properties we visit, to the food we serve, to the brands we partner with for events." McLaren's aim to align with the wider luxury world is deliberate – "looking at how other luxury brands operate, particularly outside the more traditional automotive space, because they provide a blueprint for how we can be more disruptive and differentiated."

On the Formula 1 side, McLaren Racing's fashion collaboration with Reiss has proven successful. "It's allowed them to speak to a younger, emerging fanbase. This in turn supports long-term growth across the board, by nurturing this audience into building an emotional connection with the McLaren brand, so that when they have the means, they will also choose our cars."

And the automotive arm, beyond its long-standing partnership with Richard Mille, is actively exploring deeper crossovers with fashion and design. "We've had customers ask to bring fashion brands into their car builds," says Bermudez. "In some cases, that's sparked conversations with labels we hadn't previously engaged with." Upcoming collaborations with renowned artists signal a bold new phase.

Porsche: A Winning Formula

Existing in a cultural sweet spot, Porsche unites heritage, purists, and a new generation of Gen Z and millennials who appreciate aesthetic legacy. Collaborating with Aimé Leon Dore in its sixth year deepens this connection, allowing Porsche to speak fluently to a fashion-forward, street-savvy audience, bridging generational gaps and amplifying its relevance within contemporary culture.

But the real question is: What does Aimé Leon Dore gain from this partnership? The answer lies in Porsche's symbolism, embodying precision, timelessness, and clarity of signature – all values that resonate deeply with Aimé Leon Dore's design language. Restoring and reimagining vintage Porsches transformed the 2023 clothing capsule into more than a fashion drop – it became a collector's moment. These collaborations signify an exciting future for both parties, blending passion for automobiles and fashion to create lasting connections.

The art of design in cars and couture has shared a deep-rooted admiration for craftsmanship, mirroring each other's innovation and style.
Bentley, with its bespoke division, Mulliner, is embracing the fashion world, using partnerships to reflect the individuality of their evolving clientele.
A turning point occurred in Bentley's collaboration with British-Indian designer Supriya Lele, co-creating a one-off Bentayga S in a unique, sapphire-toned hue, Nīla Blue.
The level of detailing in this collaborative Bentayga S, from stained walnut veneers to pinstriped 22-inch wheels, was more like a runway piece than a road car.
Bentley's SS25 Fashion Week collaboration with Annie's Ibiza highlighted a glittering, couture-meets-vintage brand, celebrated by celebrities like Zendaya, Kate Moss, and Cara Delevingne.
Wayne Bruce, CCO of Bentley Motors, describes the alignment between Bentley and fashion as "luxury mixed with luxury," an emotional resonance shaping a new language of opulence.
McLaren, positioned at the 'pure entertainment' end of the supercar spectrum, is evolving beyond performance into the realm of curated lifestyle.
McLaren's aim is to align with the wider luxury world, enhancing its clients' lives, from the properties visited to the brands partnered for events.
McLaren Racing's fashion collaboration with Reiss has proven successful, allowing them to speak to a younger, emerging fanbase, nurturing an emotional connection with the McLaren brand.
Porsche's collaboration with Aimé Leon Dore bridges generational gaps, deepening the connection between heritage and a new generation who appreciate aesthetic legacy, with Porsche embodying the values that resonate deeply with Aimé Leon Dore's design language.