The 10 Best Fashion + Automotive Mash-ups

The 2011 New York Fashion Week has taken the Big Apple by storm. To honor the invasion of diva designers, pop-up runways, and, of course, models, we’ve compiled the ten best examples of the automotive and fashion worlds colliding. After all, collaborations are the new sole ventures, are they not? Gentlemen, start your engines. Ladies, eat a sandwich.

RELATED: 20 Best Driving Shoes

A while back, we brought

you news of Lotus’ new lifestyle brand. While the clothing and accessories are

being marketed directly under the Lotus brand, someplace else still has to be

making them—so we’re going to count it as collaboration just the same. Maybe

we don’t know who’s supplying the goods, but the modernized throwbacks are some

of the best looking examples of race-inspired daily-wear we’ve seen in a long

time.

The most affordable on the list, hands down— yet not cheap

in quality or construction. A few years back, Adidas daringly ventured into the

world of driving shoes—a segment where pretty much anything on the market

makes you look like an instant d-bag once laced up. Partnering with rubber

wizard Goodyear, the duo constructed functional, comfortable driving shoes that

don’t scream out “I can follow a line better than you!” Having slightly evolved

over the years, the color palette is quite extensive as well—providing a

perfect match for your fire-suit, or favorite pair of jeans.

Another nod to 90’s Era Hip-Hop, the second generation

Mercury Villager was an ultra-rare case of a minivan being cool. While the one

other such example of this, Mazda’s MPV, took on more of a grimy image, the

“Nautica Van” was about rolling out right. Two-toned, with a pin-stripe

culminating on the Nautica sailboat, it also boasted second row

captain’s chairs in blue and white or grey leather, good for much more than a

three-hour tour.

Vertu may not be a fashion brand, but its phones are usually used as fashion accessories. The company describes its Ascent

Ti Ferrari phone as a “celebration of a shared passion for design, engineering

and performance." Translation? Well, like a Ferrari, it looks like nothing else

out there, is overpriced, and under the right circumstances, it’ll probably be

beat out by much cheaper offerings. But what do we Americans know about passion

anyway, right?

Alright, so it’s not a $300,000 Audemars, but $6Gs and up is still a good chunk of change to drop on

a wristwatch. Good thing is, if you’ve already copped the Bentley with a

Breitling in the dash, scooping up one for your wrist should be like buying a

G-Shock. Handsome, rugged, and elegantly styled in a plethora of different

chronograph designs, a Breitling is something you keep and pass down, long

after the Mulsanne is in the scrapyard.

Ford has been offering the

Eddie Bauer trim level on a handful of models for close to two decades now. But

never was the outdoorsy mash-up as hot as it was on the mid-to-late 90’s

Explorer. To B-boys, it was little more than a label, but with EB’s signature,

buyers were getting just about every option available at the time.

With roots in aviation,

it’s no surprise BMW would lend its design aesthetic skyward. Partnering with

private jet manufacturer Embraer, the Bavarian brand has outfitted their Phenom

100 and Phenom 300 jets with the finest in style, comfort, and ergonomics. “Fly

like a BMW” doesn’t have the same ring, but you can’t deny it did its thing.

You know that cat food

commercial where it says something about “when only the best will do”, then

the fancy-pants white feline struts by, and all you want to do is drop-kick that

m***erf***er? That’s kind of how we feel about anybody that actually bought the

Bugatti Veyron Fpg par Hermes. Nobody’s hating on the Veyron itself, but a

sticker over $2mil for H-logo wheels, a fitted bag, and an engraved fuel-filler

door seems a bit much, no? Still one can’t help stare, drool, and maybe even purr.

Nah, get the f**k out of here, cat!

What exactly is it that makes the Infiniti Essence so damn

easy to lust over?

A.)

It’s a one-off concept that is absolutely stunning to view at

every angle; even from a birds-eye view.

B.)

The car comes equipped with a custom-designed set of luggage

that plugs in the boot like a perfectly executed round of Tetris.

C.)

Said luggage is made by Louis Vuitton, in its renowned

Damier Graphite finish

D.)

All of the above

Please, Infiniti—stop teasing everyone at
the auto shows and just build it already!

While other brands are busy

aligning with individual designers, Mercedes-Benz is backing a movement. So

what if there’s nothing tangible here? No, MB is not the Master of Ceremonies

for New York Fashion Week as a whole, but due to keen marketing and brand

alignment, most people think they are. Think about how many times, from a taxi

ride to watching Project Runway (with your girl, right?), you hear the phrase “Mercedes-Benz Fashion

Week.” Who else could do it better? MB, FTW.