hypeandhyper gives life to iconic vehicles of the eastern bloc with 'chromiez' toy car series

multidisciplinary studio hypeandhyper unveils the ‘chromiez’ toy car collection, seeking to give new life to the iconic vehicles of the eastern bloc. with comecon cars brightening up the roads in and outside hungary to this day, the designers decided to bring the emblematic automobiles to our desks, with this nostalgia-driven colorful miniature series, comprised of five different wooden models.

all images courtesy of hypeandhyper

the aim of hypeandhyper’s ‘chromiez’ collection is to showcase the unique character of the iconic comecon vehicles, and at the same time, provide an opportunity for a trip down memory lane. the brand name comes from the word ‘chrome’, which used to serve as the jewel of the cars of the era, but today it alludes to a bygone yet once glorious era of the automotive industry.

the five models of the collection were chosen according to designer renátó árpás’s personal experiences and preferences. during his university years, he founded the ‘régimódi sofőrök’ (oldschool drivers) club, dedicated to discussing old iconic cars, and fixing up stylish eastern bloc vehicles. owing to its easy repairability and authentic character, a zhiguli became the favorite piece of the team, while two white and a red lada sedan also stood out for the club members. in addition, there was a sky-blue estate wagon, which renátó first drove after getting his driver’s license. ‘we dug up our parents’ italo disco cassette tapes, we sniffed at the 40-year-old faux leather upholstery, filled the tank with lead replacement, and only the bobblehead dog on the hat rack shook its head harder than us to the rhythm of the spirit of the age’ he recalls.

it was important from the very beginning of the collection to give new life to the emblematic cars in a contemporary format by keeping the original shapes. therefore, the limited edition series showcases the original visual characteristics of the five different lifesize models – lada estate, lada sedan, polski fiat, IFA and żuk. the wooden miniatures will ‘for sure put a smile on the face of those who loved the life-size versions,’ shares the studio. ‘and to those who are too young to know this era, the collection could serve as an interesting historical imprint, reporting about a significant period of the automotive industry’.

project info:

name: chromiez collection 
design studio: hypeandhyper
lead designer: renátó árpás

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edited by: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom