“Have you seen my new 2.4 million dollar Hermes edition Bugatti Veyron? I know it costs more than we spend on aid to most third world nations but it matched my scarf so perfectly!”
These words are spoken by a celeb-utante of a surgically indiscernible age named Bianca, outfitted head to toe with the latest brand name designer fashions.
“Wow, this care sure is amazing! So much more bespoke than your Bentley!” replied her BFF (Best Friend Forever) Trixie, her real name lost long ago in people’s memory much like her own real age.
“I know! Even though our Bentley was an Arnage and not that commoner mobile Bentley Continental GT favored by---ugh, Soccer players and Pop Stars! Still, it just had to go, much like the fall fashions littering my closet!” replied Bianca.
“Well, at least you auctioned those off at that dinner in aid of anorexic whales. You know, the one where you wore the vintage Valentino and arrived in your new Ferrari 599 Dolce and Grabbana special edition?” replied Trixie.
“Ah yes, but anorexic whales? Whoever heard of such a thing! It must have been the gala to help illiterate fashionistas who wind up buying non-designer clothes! Those poor dears, can’t tell if it says Hermes or Hermie! Versace or Versasie! Imagine what will happen to them when those knock-off Chinese Ferraris and Bentleys start littering the streets! We just have to help them!”
Bianca sure never forgot a fundraising dinner/tax shelter.
While these words might not have ever been uttered by the purchaser of a Bugatti/Hermes special edition, it no doubt could have. It could have also been uttered similarly by purchasers of luxury auto pairings from the likes of Lamborghini/Versace and Mercedes Benz/Armani.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this is the latest thing. In a world where Lambos and Mercedes don’t even get a second look on most thoroughfares in Los Angeles and Miami, these special editions allow the uber-rich to truly stand out. Plus they usually come with some sweet fitted luggage.
In the case of the Hermes edition Bugatti, it comes with the aforementioned fitted luggage—a must for a vehicle with such limited trunk space—as well as door handles designed to look like they come from a Hermes bag and a Hermes wallet designed to fit just perfectly in the glove box. It also features an ebony/brick colored calfskin interior and will only be made available to a maximum of 15 purchasers worldwide. That is quite an exclusive edition of a super exclusive 1,001 hp automobile!
But this is not the first time cars and couture have co-mingled to create a sort of mobile “car-toure.” Ferrari has long offered custom made leather luggage sets to match the interiors of any of its myriad sports cars. Lamborghini also has shared a long history of making special editions with the help of Versace.
While the economy may be hitting even the “sort-of-obscenely rich” rather hard, the sort of people who shell out over 2 million for a designer sports car probably aren’t that concerned with the price of gas. It takes a lot more than a little housing crisis or credit crunch to make a dent in their liquid assets.
In light of this, the idea of the “designer” automobile will no doubt continue as the must have accessory for the super-rich and their super cars. That way you can be sure you won’t have the ignominy of seeing some lowly investment banker in a matching Lamborghini while cruising the streets of Miami’s ultra trendy South Beach district.
But what of the heroines of this piece, Bianca and Trixie? While they are fixtures along the catwalks of Milan and Paris, they also represent a portion of the luxury car buying public that automakers like Ferrari, Bentley and Bugatti will need in order to profitably weather the coming economic storm.
“So, Bianca, what sort of designer wheels are you going to get next? You know, when the Hermes edition Bugatti inevitably goes out of fashion in three months?” asked a truly concerned Trixie.
“Well, I was think of getting Jean Paul Gaultier to do something for our new Rolls Royce Convertible that we have on order! But we will have to tell him, no cone bras or boustiers please! Who does he think I am, some nouveau riche pop star like Madonna!”