rolls-royce bespoke collection is the peak of refined luxury

rolls-royce bespoke collection is the peak of refined luxury: from the inception of the marque 113 years ago, rolls-royce motor cars stands alone in serving the world’s most influential an exquisite blank canvas from which to express their tastes, lifestyles and passions. where once this fell to independent coachbuilders, the execution of the most deeply held desires of the most discerning individuals is now performed by the marque’s bespoke department, a collective of extraordinary designers, engineers and craftspeople at the rolls-royce’s centre of excellence in goodwood, england. today, practically every motor car that leaves the home of rolls-royce is bespoke. what follows is a small snapshot of some of 2016’s finest examples of bespoke design and craftsmanship.

a nautical dawn for pebble beach
all images © rolls-royce

 
for many of rolls-royce’s patrons, a bespoke automobile serves to celebrate a long-held passion. taking inspiration from the designs of high-performance yachts, a nautical-themed ‘dawn’ was commissioned by a floridian and delivered to her at the 2016 pebble beach concours d’elegance. finished in a two-tone combination of arctic white with a midnight sapphire windscreen surround and bonnet, the sleek convertible mimics the high-contrast appearance of a superyacht, complemented by a teak rear deck and ‘canadel’ teak interior panels. the bespoke cabin clock is inspired by its patron’s favourite watch. as well as referencing the pebble beach handover, the treadplate completes the nautical theme, showing the four international maritime signal flags that spell out ‘dawn’.

the ‘blue magpie phantom drophead coupé’

cultural emblems and stories so often inform the vision of the marque’s patrons, as beautifully displayed in this commission by a gentleman in taiwan. this elegant ‘phantom drophead coupé’ was one of the very last built and incorporates a number of bespoke features of regional significance. the exterior is finished in silverlake with an andalusian white bonnet and an engraved spirit of ecstasy in gold. 

hints of gold are also incorporated in the bespoke twin coachlines and the pinstripes circling the wheel centres. the headrests are embroidered with an illustration of the blue magpie, a bird which can only be found in the owner’s homeland of taiwan, while mother of pearl inlays sit within the veneers, instrument dials, clock and control knobs. attention to detail even extends to the floor of the car’s luggage compartment, which is is uniquely finished in teak with white maple inserts.

the invention of colour – mr. fux’s ‘pebble beach dawn’

US collector michael fux, a connoisseur collector, delights in challenging rolls-royce’s designers and craftspeople to develop truly unique materials, hues and features. the results serve as some of the boldest and most emblematic examples of bespoke design ever executed at the marque’s centre. when mr. fux came to commission his first dawn for handover at pebble beach, he came to develop his very own colour, dubbed ‘fux blue’, which will remain reserved for his exclusive use. 

the stunning exterior shade is complemented by a blue hood in the same tone, in contrast to the arctic white rear deck and fittings to the interior. in order to ensure perfect sartorial harmony, the marque’s designers clothed the entire interior including steering wheel, instrument panel cowling and interior veneers in artic white, creating a truly unique and contemporary aesthetic.

 
extraordinary detail and application – the ‘peace and glory phantom’

one of the final bespoke commissions of the seventh generation ‘phantom’ extended wheelbase was crafted for an entrepreneur in the far east, showcasing the ingenuity and application of the marque’s craftspeople through the art of embroidery. in this instance, they exquisitely replicate the pattern of tiger fur in the rear centre console. beyond that, this stunning example features a wealth of unique interior fittings, echoed with a subtle gold coachline and motifs on the madeira red exterior.

the cabin of this ‘phantom’ is furnished in a two-tone design of moccasin and fawn brown leather, and is embellished with multiple personalised motifs stitched into the hide and laid into the veneer, all by hand. bespoke white instrument dials contrast with a consort red steering wheel rim – elegantly expressing the breadth of colour palette at the disposal of the marque’s patrons when creating truly unique bespoke commissions.