Bespoke Collective Archives

Rolls-Royce customer in Singapore personalises Phantom with country’s national flower

The Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective – an elite team of engineers, designers and craftspeople based at the Home of Rolls-Royce in England – provides Rolls-Royce customers with the ultimate in personalisation of their cars. Almost every Rolls-Royce sold nowadays has some involvement from the Bespoke Collective – after all, when you pay over a million ringgit, why not spend a bit more to make your car truly unique.

Most of the cars created by the Bespoke Collective are not publicised as their owners may prefer not to do so but some allow Rolls-Royce to show them to the world. The latest one is for a customer in Singapore, and appropriately, this customer wanted the orchid as the theme. The beautiful flower is especially close to the hearts of Singaporean as it is their country’s national flower.

Pioneering Bespoke work
Designers, craftspeople and artisans collaborated with artist Helen Murray over a period of 2 years to create this ‘one of one’ Rolls-Royce known as the Phantom Orchid. Helen and her team have undertaken pioneering bespoke work with Phantom’s Gallery – a wholly contemporary and luxury reinterpretation of a motor car’s fascia and instrument panel area.

She was inspired by several kinds of orchids, including the Singapore Orchid, spending over 200 hours relentlessly refining her design and artwork with her team. “I started by focusing on the actual orchids, which promptly led me to realise that colour was key to capturing the essence of the species. I have created artworks featuring orchids in the past, but my idea for the Gallery was to create something in realistic full colour, which pushed us to refine our digital printing skills,” explained the UK-based artist and textile designer.

Murray started by illustrating the design by hand before creating a digital version that she could print directly onto the silk crepe satin. The final part of the process involved a meticulous hand-sculpting of the flowers, releasing layers of fabric to create a 3D effect.

Orchid Sanctuary
Within the interior, Rolls-Royce Bespoke Designer Yohan Benchetrit applied his talent to the Bespoke orchid-inspired Picnic Table inlays in the rear of the suite which, when opened, gracefully reveal a beautiful layer of orchids set into Piano Black veneer. He added Bespoke treadplates emanating a similar theme sans text to welcome the owner and passengers into the motor car. The interior suite meanwhile was furnished with elegant, natural colours which provide a soothing ambience akin to an Orchid Sanctuary.

To complete this special Phantom, a unique paint was specially created using the latest paint technology. Arctic White was chosen as the base colour, while a tint of violet was added, inspired by orchids. Combined with fine glass particles through a special process, the result is a stunning pearlescent appearance. Under bright light, the paint technology creates a shimmering effect like no other, changing as an observer views the motor car from different angles. An eye-catching single coachline on either side of Phantom incorporates a Bespoke motif, inspired by an orchid, completing the theme.

Parallels with the Garden City
“It draws parallels with the Singapore I know; a thoroughly modern garden city merging nature and technology effortlessly in its make-up,” said Michael Bryden, Lead Designer, Rolls-Royce Bespoke, who has not only spent time in Singapore but designed the now famous, ‘one of one’ ‘SG50 Bespoke Ghost’, created to celebrate the country’s 50th Anniversary.

“It was the first time we had produced a motorcar to celebrate such an occasion, so I am again delighted to have participated with Yohan and the Bespoke Collective to create another masterpiece for Singapore,” he said.

He explained that the concept envisaged a balanced yet progressive design which echoes the values of the Singapore region. “The orchid is seen in many facets of Asian life, a reminder that the resilient adapt and thrive regardless of the evolving environment. Phantom is the only motorcar in the world to feature the Gallery, a space that enables one to exhibit art, sculptures, or objects of self-expression in the sanctuary of Phantom’s interior,” said Bryden.

Rolls-Royce re-establishes its Coachbuild department to go beyond Bespoke

Rolls-Royce collaborates with Hermès to create the Phantom Oribe

The Bespoke division at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars will create an exclusive car to a customer’s requirements whatever they may be (as long as safety is not compromised). For many years now, Bespoke’s business has been growing as virtually every person who buys a Rolls-Royce will want it personalised in some way. Some may be simple requirements while others may be quite sophisticated – like the Bespoke Phantom conceived in a unique collaboration with Hermès, the French luxury goods company.

Over 3 centuries of combined experience
This is one of the examples of Bespoke’s work which the world gets to see as not all of the models they prepare are publicised if their owners do not agree to do so. “This magnificent expression of our pinnacle product represents a landmark for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, bringing together two houses with more than three centuries’ combined experience and heritage. It is the result of a deep, genuine collaboration between the Houses of Rolls-Royce and Hermès, in which designers, materials specialists and skilled craftspeople worked side by side to create a truly one-of-a-kind Phantom. It has been an extraordinary privilege to unite on such a creatively challenging, technically demanding commission and bring our client’s remarkable vision so beautifully to life,” said Torsten Muller-Otvos, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

The one-of-a-kind Phantom Oribe reflects the personality and passions of its owner, Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa, who envisioned the car as a ‘land jet’, bringing the serene exclusivity of private air travel to the road. ‘Oribe’ comes from antique Japanese Oribe ware, which Maezawa-san collects.

Matching the glazes of Oribe ware
The car’s striking two-tone exterior matches the characteristic green and cream glazes of Oribe ware. The upper part is finished in Oribe Green, a fully Bespoke colour created exclusively for the client; in an unusual move, Rolls-Royce has made the paint available for use on the client’s private jet the Phantom will be paired with. Developed over many months by specialists in the Surface Finish Centre at Goodwood, it perfectly captures the lustrous, deep-green glaze that characterises these 16^th century ceramics. The effect is beautifully completed by the cream-white lower section.

The Oribe ware-inspired colourway harmoniously continues through the interior, created and realised through a true meeting of minds between Hermès designers and craftspeople and the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective of designers, engineers and craftspeople. Together, they applied their shared expertise and ingenuity to ensure every individual component embodies the finest traditions of both companies.

Hermès leather
The interior is finished predominantly in Hermès Enea Green leather, extending to details that include the immediate touch-points of the client (eg the steering wheel, duchess handles, gear selector and controls for the climate settings). The leather flows around the upper instrument panel, interior pillars and parcel shelf. It also enrobes less visible surfaces including the glove compartment and luggage compartment lining, centre console, decanter stowage compartment and Champagne cooler.

Delicate Hermès piping adorns the headrest cushions and calf supports of the rear seats, while soft Seashell White accents and matching lambswool floor mats create a sense of light and space throughout.

Equestrian heritage of Hermès
The interior is also replete with examples of Rolls-Royce Bespoke design and handcraftsmanship. Wooden speaker frets, for example, are formed by meticulously perforating the Open Pore Royal Walnut veneer applied to the doors, creating a seamless, textured aesthetic and delicate haptics. Open Pore Royal Walnut is additionally applied to the centre and rear consoles and picnic table backs; in another first for Rolls-Royce, the interior features Hermès ‘Toile H’ canvas on the door armrests, centre and rear consoles and, most notably, the signature headliner.

Hermès brings its distinctive equestrian heritage and innovative craftsmanship know-how to the car, with the leather upholstery created using stitching and edge-painting techniques originally employed by master saddlers.

For the Phantom’s Gallery, a feature unique to Rolls-Royce, that runs the length of the motor car’s fascia, Hermès commissioned an artwork based on a design by the celebrated French artist and illustrator Pierre Peron who created many of the House’s iconic scarves. The work, inspired by the famous Hermès horse motif, is hand-painted on Open Pore Royal Walnut and is presented as though staged in an art gallery, behind glass.

“This unique Phantom is a fusion of East and West, ancient and modern, serenity and exhilaration. It was a great creative and cultural exchange working with Hermès; we learned a great deal from each other. It is always a pleasure when a client brings us a bold, clear and imaginative vision, and a great thrill to see it realised so perfectly,” said Michael Bryden, Lead Designer at Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective.

Exclusive Rolls-Royce Wraith with an astronaut’s view

First Rolls-Royce Phantom with Hawaiian Koa Wood

‘Bespoke’ is customisation taken to a higher level and at the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective, consisting of designers, engineers and craftspeople, the limits of Bespoke are very high. Virtually any request will be met – while ensuring that safety is not compromised. In a world often dominated by luxury commodities designed for mass consumption, a Bespoke Rolls-Royce exemplifies the notion of true luxury.

A recent example is the latest Phantom Extended created in a 3-year collaboration between the customer and the Bespoke Design team, resulting in the creation of a deeply personal legacy. For the ultimate car enthusiast, Jack Boyd Smith, Jnr., this personal legacy features an unusual example of a rare species of Koa Wood.

Future classic for the JBS Collection
The realisation of Mr. Smith’s vision reflects both his personality and his love and passion for unique vintage cars. The one-of-a-kind creation joins his personal collection of more than 60 unique cars in The JBS Collection Museum. This latest Phantom Extended will undoubtedly become a future classic.

Referred to as the Koa Phantom, it is the first Rolls-Royce Phantom that incorporates Koa Wood, a rare species of tree that grows only on Hawaiian soil. The inspiration derives from Mr. Smith and his wife Laura’s love for the warmth and character of Koa Wood, having spent significant amounts of time in Hawaii. His ongoing connection to the Koa species is rooted deep within his family, with a Koa Wood rocking chair (pictured below) that has been a centrepiece in their home for many years.

Non-negotiable requirement
Mr. Smith was determined to bring the warm, familiar atmosphere of the wood to the interior of his Rolls-Royce. As they embarked on the creation, Mr. Smith quickly learned that his non-negotiable design would require allowing the craftspeople time to perfect their art. The unique Koa tree grows only in Hawaii and is protected in Hawaiian State and National parks. Koa Wood can only be harvested from private agricultural land and owing to the very specific growing conditions required, to find such a unique log from this extremely limited resource, is truly rare.

A Rolls-Royce Wood Specialist described the find as a ‘one in a million chance’. Some aspirant brands use more commonly available Koa Wood specimens but, for Rolls-Royce, only the finest example of this extraordinary species would do. Mr. and Mrs. Smith patiently waited for 3 years for their perfect veneer, as the Rolls-Royce Wood Specialist negotiated with a supplier for a highly prized log from his own, personal collection.

The specimen acquired displayed a unique depth of character rarely seen, with a figure in the grain that creates the effect of velvet. The craftsmen and women of the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Woodshop embraced the challenge of preserving this rich textural finish in the Phantom Extended.

Replicating an 80-year old finish
The Koa Phantom exterior shines a deep blue by day; by night, it is hidden in the darkness. The Bespoke ‘Packard Blue’ hue is colour-matched to Mr. Smith’s 1934 Packard Twelve Coupe, a rare motor car in his personal collection. Creating an exact match to an 80-year old finish was no small feat, and even included shipping parts from vintage cars to the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood. After testing on more than 40 test panels, the formula was finally deemed a perfect match.

An elegant hand-painted coachline in Dove Grey runs the length of the deep, dark blue Phantom, matching the wheel centre pinstripes. The driver’s door bears the personalised initials ‘JBS Jr’ while the passenger door bears the initials of Mrs. Smith, ‘LAS’.

On opening the coach doors, a personalised treadplate reads, ‘Hand-built in Goodwood, England for Laura & Jack Boyd Smith, Jr.’ Across Phantom’s fascia lies the Gallery – an uninterrupted piece of glass behind which clients can commission unique works of art and design. For the Koa Phantom, the wood itself takes centre stage, preserved and exhibited at the heart of the car, showcasing its natural beauty.

Koa Wood embellishes the Dove Grey leather interior that is matched to the Packard Twelve and offset by Navy Blue highlights and piping. Above, a Bespoke handcrafted starlight headliner consisting of 1,420 fibreoptic lights on navy-blue leather, depicts the constellation of the night sky above Cleveland, Ohio, on Mr. Smith’s date of birth.

The Rolls-Royce monogram on the headrests is matched to the exterior finish while the rear compartment is adorned with a Champagne fridge, accompanied by a pair of crystal champagne flutes and decanter, engraved with the clients’ initials.

A Picnic Hamper too
A hand-crafted Koa Wood Picnic Hamper completes this unique project. Koa Wood, saddle leather and stainless steel are meticulously crafted in a process that takes more than 500 hours to complete. The saddle leather trim and interior leather is Dove Grey, matched to the interior of the one-of-a-kind Bespoke Phantom. Stainless steel features on both the exterior and interior of the hamper; with plaques that read, ‘Laura & Jack Boyd Smith, Jr.’

The hamper includes hand-made wine glasses and decanters from the Ajka Crystal factory in Hungary, famed for its traditional techniques. The stainless-steel cutlery is hand-made in England. The 12-piece set is produced to the highest standards by expert craftspeople using traditional polishing and grinding techniques – a tribute to British steel heritage. Wedgwood porcelain plates add a final flourish to the hamper.

‘Neon Nights’, a vibrant trilogy of Rolls-Royce cars

Customers of Rolls-Royce can personalise their car to almost any extent (as long as it’s legal) and most do, with the help of the company’s Bespoke division. And for those who just don’t know how they want something exclusive to look, the Bespoke division can also come up with many ideas which can be adapted further to the customer’s tastes.

One of the recent ideas presented is ‘Neon Nights’, a vibrant trilogy of cars. Inspired by nature, they are finishing in a newly developed Bespoke paint applied to the Black Badge variants of Wraith, Dawn and Cullinan.

Inspired by the natural world
Taking cues from the natural world – an Australian green tree frog, a Hawaiian tree flower and an exotic butterfly – these limited hues show a Black Badge model bolder in colour, appealing to patrons around the world who want to be different.

“Any pre-conceived notion that Rolls-Royce’s Black Badge variants all have to be black is comprehensively laid to rest by the super-solid Neon Nights colours,” said Sami Coultas, Bespoke Designer Colour & Trim.

Only three of each colour
Created initially for clients in the USA, three further iterations of each colour are available for commission worldwide, making a limited run of just four of each colour.

The Wraith Black Badge (above) is finished in Lime Rock Green, a near-luminous hue naturally bestowed on the Australian green tree frog, which Rolls-Royce Bespoke Paint Specialist Sami Coultas first encountered on a trip Down Under. The interior (below) is swathed in Scivaro Grey leather, with Lime Rock Green accents in the form of stitching and piping.

The striking Eagle Rock Red created for this Dawn Black Badge (above) mimics the flowers of ‘Ōhi‘a lehua, an evergreen tree native to Hawaii. The interior is finished in Selby Grey leather with Koi Red stitching and piping details.

For the Cullinan (below), the Bespoke Collective looked to an exotic butterfly, Rhetus periander for inspiration. Known as the Periander metalmark, this species is found across Central and South America; the vibrancy of its wings is faithfully captured on the Cullinan’s Mirabeau Blue finish. The Arctic White leather interior detailed in Lime Rock Green provides a dramatic contrast.

In all three cars, the Technical Fibre fascia is embellished with a spectacular graphic. The paint effect provides an intense neon glow and depicts the distortion of artificial light with speed.

The Neon Nights cars follow a suite of Black Badges that grabbed headlines at the 2019 Pebble Beach event. There, the Ghost, Wraith and Dawn were presented in Bespoke pastel colours. Such was the demand for these cars that the colour palette was embraced and developed, inspiring a new and dynamic colour palette for Black Badge.

Exclusive Rolls-Royce Wraith with an astronaut’s view

Rolls-Royce Wraith Eagle VIII – homage to heroes

The Rolls-Royce name is well known throughout the world and associated with the super luxury and exclusive cars of superlative quality. However, there is also Rolls-Royce plc which is better known among those in the aviation industry and provides, among other products, jet engines for many of today’s airliners.

Before the 1970s, there was just one Rolls-Royce company which was an engineering company started in 1884 and also made cars. In 1973, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars was established as a separate entity and progressed on its own, while the original company went through various stages of evolution.

The aeronautical roots of Rolls-Royce are not forgotten by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and the carmaker’s Bespoke Collective has created a unique collection of just 50 Wraith Eagle VIII cars that tell the epic tale of one of the most pivotal moments of the 20th century. This was the first non-stop trans-Atlantic flight which took place in June 1919.

Alcock and Brown Vickers Vimy — *A Vickers Vimy aircraft like the one used by Alcock and Brown in 1919.*

The flight was done by Captain John Alcock and Lieutenant Arthur Brown, contemporaries of Sir Henry Royce, one of the founders of Rolls-Royce. The modified World War I Vickers bomber aircraft they flew was powered by twin 20.3-litre, 350 bhp, Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engines.

They safely crossed from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Clifden, Ireland in less than 72 hours, a feat which Rolls-Royce marked the 100th-year anniversary of this feat last year with a highly contemporary Collection that speaks to today’s adventurers, whilst honouring those who changed the course of history.

“I do not know what we should most admire – their audacity, determination, skill, science, their aeroplane, their Rolls-Royce engines – or their good fortune,” commented Sir Winston Churchill at that time when he presented the brave men with the £10,000 award by the Daily Mail.

A hundred years later, Torsten Muller-Otvos, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, commented at the unveiling of the Wraith Eagle VIII Collection Car: “Wraith Eagle VIII is at once an object of desire; homage to heroes and a protagonist to today’s visionaries. This Rolls-Royce Collection demonstrates the extraordinary skill of our Bespoke Collective at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex. Bespoke remains the jewel in the crown of the marque, creating luxury items that defy the trend of mass luxury manufacturers using ‘tick-box’ options to answer customer demand.”

The car is swathed in Gunmetal with a Selby Grey upper two-tone finish, the colours separated by a brass feature line which hints at the detailing that lies within. The black grille vanes draw immediate reference to the Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engine cowling on the Vickers aircraft, while the wheels are partially polished with a translucent shadow finish.

Within, the finely executed interior mirrors the exterior hue. Selby Grey and black leather are accented by brass, redolent of the brass sextant so integral to the success of the transatlantic journey. Executed in a contemporary fashion, the material populates key areas throughout the cockpit of the Collection.

Brass speaker covers depict the estimated flight distance of 3,027 kms and ‘RR’ monograms are embroidered in brass-coloured thread onto headrests. A flash of brass complements the navigator door paniers, whilst the door of the driver includes a brass plaque with Churchill’s quote commending the duo’s remarkable achievements.

Inspired by the night-time conditions of the flight over the ocean, the fascia represents a modern-day abstract interpretation of the view the pair would have enjoyed as finally, their craft cleared the thick fog and cloud. In a fusion of contemporary and traditional practises, Smoked Eucalyptus wood is vacuum metalized in gold before being inlaid with silver and copper, to depict the rich detail seen in view of the Earth from above.

The scene extends to the centre console providing both an emotive and immersive experience for today’s occupants – the cockpit is in perspective with the headliner. Below, the brass-stitched quilted sides of the centre tunnel provide a direct nod to the V12-engined Vickers Vimy.

The clock of a Rolls-Royce is frequently viewed as jewellery, with many patrons choosing this canvas to tell the story of their motor car in miniature. The Wraith Eagle VIII is no exception. Our intrepid pioneers recounted that their instrument panel was frozen from the high altitude and the poor conditions, referring to the only illumination coming from the green glow of the control panel lighting and the burst of flame from the starboard engine.

In homage to this, the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective has masterfully fabricated a clock with an iced background effect which glows a faint green at night. The red hour hand sits atop compass-inspired lines on the clock’s fascia, whilst the landing location coordinates are engraved below.

Perhaps the most alluring feature is the extraordinary unique Starlight Headliner. Created with no less than 1,183 starlight fibres, the celestial arrangement at the time of the flight in 1919 is shown. The flight path and constellations are embroidered in brass thread, whilst the exact moment the pair left the cloud to navigate by the stars is indicated by a red fibreoptic light. Clouds are embroidered and a plaque reading, ‘The celestial arrangement at the halfway point 00:17 am June 15th, 1919, 50” 07’ Latitude North – 31” Longitude West” shows the halfway point of the momentous journey.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Kuala Lumpur, the authorised Rolls-Royce dealer in Malaysia, has received one of these very special cars – only 50 are made available – evocative of Alcock and Brown’s compelling adventure.

“Rolls-Royce is at the forefront of Bespoke Cars here in Malaysia. Our customers are connoisseurs who want luxury that is highly unique. This car not only fêtes a very special achievement in global history, but also resonates with our own regional development at a time when aviation was catalysed by the exploits of fearless airmen who depended on the reliability and excellence of the Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engines,” said Anas Zawawi Khalid, Director, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Kuala Lumpur.

The Starlight Headliner – Bringing the starry sky inside a Rolls-Royce

50 Rolls-Royce owners will have a special challenge with their cars

This afternoon, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars unveiled a new series of cars from its Bespoke Collective range which come with something unusual – cryptic messages are hidden behind a unique Rolls-Royce cipher! This new generation of Collection Car is one that will bring with it an intriguing, entertaining and exclusive challenge for the owners of the 50 units of Wraith that will be available.

“The brilliant and creative minds of our Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective have excelled once again, creating an extraordinarily contemporary and compelling iteration of Wraith. The Wraith Kryptos Collection, on first glance, is a statement of dynamism. I look forward to seeing whether any of our clients will crack the code!” said Torsten Muller-Otvos, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

2020 Rolls-Royce Wraith Kryptos — To the uninitiated, these ciphers appear, on the surface at least, to be an alluring design purely for aesthetic purposes and devoid of any discernible pattern. However, for those who look closer, those few who hold the key, they will embark on an experience that leads to an ‘enlightening conclusion’, according to Rolls-Royce.

“The name ‘Kryptos’ is derived from Ancient Greek, referring to something unseen, hidden and coded, mythical even. Ciphers can be traced through millennia, capturing the imagination of some of the world’s most brilliant minds,” said Rolls-Royce Bespoke Designer, Katrin Lehmann, who has a personal interest in the subject.

“As a designer, I’ve always been fascinated by the notion that you can communicate messages that are understood by only an elite few, using symbols, pictograms, and ciphers. Finding the key becomes integral to appreciating the full meaning of an item that can otherwise be viewed simply as a work of art,” she explained.

The cryptographic journey begins with the Spirit of Ecstasy on the bonnet of the car. An engraving with green enamel detailing introduces the Rolls-Royce cipher on the base of the enigmatic figurine. Below, recrafted bumper inserts draw the eye lower, subtly modifying both the gesture and posture of Wraith, giving this Collection an identity of its own.

The alluring colourway of the Collection hints at the car’s inner-most secrets. Delphic Grey, a Bespoke exterior hue consisting of a solid Anthracite base colour has a hidden effect – only in sunlight do the blue and green mica flakes appear.

This effect is accentuated by a hand-painted double coachline, the upper being painted in the newly developed Kryptos Green while the lower acts as a shadow in Dark Grey, both depicting clues relating to the interior code. Completing the exterior aesthetic are part polished wheels, with Orbit Grey coloured centres featuring a coloured pinstripe.

Inside, stepping over the illuminated treadplates, the cipher evolves deep into the fabric of the car. There is the accented Bespoke Kryptos Green leather hue, developed to incorporate a metallic effect, set against either Selby Grey or Anthracite.

In perhaps the most apparent clue, elements of the cipher are embroidered into Wraith’s headrests, where the customary ‘double-R’ emblem can so often be found. For the driver’s enjoyment, an intriguing screen print flows across the metal fascia, spanning the width of the interior.

Overhead is a beautifully elaborate, bi-coloured headliner depicting an in-motion data-stream inspired motif (owners who are fans of ‘The Matrix’ should love it). Illuminated door pockets continue this theme with Rolls-Royce woven leather and Kryptos Green threads to reveal an unexpected and subtle illumination that fades towards the base of the pocket. The centre tunnel is exquisitely stitched, repeating the horizontal lines of the door pockets, also hinting towards the driver-focused nature of this special car.

The owners of the cars will be invited to submit their efforts at cracking the code via the members-only Rolls-Royce Application, Whispers. The code is so secret that only two people in the company know the full resolution of the sequence – the designer and the CEO. The answer has been placed in a sealed envelope, in the safe of the CEO at the Rolls-Royce headquarters in England.

There are no clues as to what the message could be. It may be something profound but it is unlikely to be something frivolous, not with a Rolls-Royce. The company has not said what reward awaits the one who successfully deciphers the message.

The Rolls-Royce Black Badge Cullinan has arrived in Malaysia

The Starlight Headliner – Bringing the starry sky inside a Rolls-Royce

A Rolls-Royce draws attention not only by its prestigious presence but also by the wealth of details around the car. Every model has been meticulously crafted and the most familiar elements have always been the Spirit of Ecstasy, Pantheon Grille and ‘Double R’ monogram. Unless the windows are heavily tinted (or the curtains drawn), passers-by can also admire the opulence which the occupants enjoy from the many luxurious appointments.

However, one feature which is not readily visible (especially in the daytime) to those on the outside but is spectacular in presentation is the Starlight Headliner. Now a part of Rolls-Royce iconography, the Starlight Headliner, in the spirit of the marque’s dedication to fulfilling the wishes of its patrons, began as a Bespoke request.

This came from a Rolls-Royce client who was suffering from photophobia (an extreme sensitivity to light) and was only able to enjoy reading his daily newspaper under the starlight on his rural ranch. He therefore requested that they develop a similar ambience within his Rolls-Royce.

As virtually nothing is impossible to the specialists at the Bespoke division (and it has been proven on many occasions), the Bespoke Collective of designers, engineers and craftspeople came up with a way to replicate stars on the ceiling of the cabin. They embedded no less than 800 stars, creating a star-filled night sky which gave just the right level of illumination the client needed, allowing him to read while travelling.

The client took delivery of his Phantom in 2006 and gave Rolls-Royce permission not only to publicise the Starlight Headliner but also offer the same feature to other customers. Thus was born the option of the Starlight Headliner which has been refined over the past 13 years. It can extend to the entire length of the roof and the intensity of light emitted by each star varied to better reflect the night sky.

*The design for the Starlight Headliner is unique to each customer.*

The constellation of each Starlight Headliner is completely unique to the customer. One customer requested that the lights be configured to represent the Ursa Major and Minor constellations while another customer wanted the Rolls-Royce monogram to illuminate separately from the rest of the stars. Some may like to have their loved one’s constellation twinkling from above. Whatever the customer wants, the Bespoke Collective will make sure he or she will have it.

Typically, it takes nine hours to craft, but a personalized pattern needs its own template, which can take more than 17 hours to complete. Two Rolls-Royce craftspeople marry their skills to create this extraordinary feature. It’s the perfect alliance of traditional craftsmanship and modern-day technology.

The Starlight Headliner’s unique effect is achieved by fitting delicate fiberoptic strands at varying depths and at different angles – to cause light to escape in multiple directions and at different intensities. First, the leather is perforated with 1,400 to 1,600 holes, each carefully counted. Fibreoptic threads, which are hand-trimmed at different angles to achieve a twinkling effect, are set into these holes by hand. The craftsperson then ensures that the fibres are perfectly seated on the visible leather surface, ready to shine.

Customers can order the Starlight Headliner as an option for their Rolls-Royce and the additional cost depends on the requirements and the model. For a Phantom, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars KL says that the price would start from RM65,000.

Creating a rose garden within a Rolls-Royce Phantom

Creating a rose garden within a Rolls-Royce Phantom

It’s often said that Henry Ford told customers that his Model T was available ‘in any colour as long as it’s black’ and he had valid reasons. The man who put the world on wheels by using mass production processes was obsessed with reducing the time it took to complete a car and by limiting colour choices, it was possible to simplify and speed up assembly. Black paint seemed to dry the fastest too. But that was in the early part of the 20^th century when just having a car was already special.

In the 21^st century, car-buyers have more colour choices and in the upper strata of the market, they can also customise their cars – in the same way as some of the cars in the early 20^th century because they were handbuilt to order. While the majority of car-buyers will accept whatever specifications are offered – but can still choose the colours – those who want something exclusive have many options and services to give them whatever they want.

The challenges from customers
The Bespoke Division at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars offers such services and the company reports that demand for its services has kept growing in recent years. Its designers, craftspeople and engineers are constantly challenged by customers who present unique requirements for their Rolls-Royce. Like the Stockholm-based entrepreneur with an extraordinary passion for flowers.

The customer, with a wife and two of four children named after flowers, challenged the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective to envision a car that immerses its occupants in a beguiling floral scene. The result is the Rose Phantom – a sanctuary of true luxury, a vision of flowers, created with a million embroidered stitches.

[Click here to view the video of the owner talking about his special Rolls-Royce]

Inspired by a rose garden
The Rose Garden at the Rolls-Royce headquarters and factory served as the primary point of inspiration for Ieuan Hatherall, a Bespoke Designer for Rolls-Royce. This Rose Garden is the only place in the world that the Phantom Rose is grown. Bred exclusively for Rolls-Royce by British Rose Breeder Philip Harkness of Harkness Roses, the Phantom Rose grows in the courtyard of the marque’s Global Centre of Luxury Manufacturing Excellence at Goodwood in West Sussex, England.

The Peacock Blue exterior of the Rose Phantom is punctuated with a Charles Blue twinned-coachline that intertwines organically like the stem of a rose, combining to introduce the rose motif, an indication of both the colours and the treatment within. The wheels echo the design and are embellished with a twinned pinstripe, also in Charles Blue.

The rose garden within
On opening the coach doors, one first encounters the embroidery on the inside of the rear doors, but it is not until entering the rear cabin that one fully encounters the extraordinary extent of the satin stitch creation. The Phantom Rose is illustrated in varying stages of maturity, from bud to full bloom, in an asymmetrical design that appears to grow across the roof lining, from the rear of the car. The marque’s fabled starlight headliner illuminates the scene as the roses are interspersed with individually placed fibreoptic lights.

In the rear compartment, Serenity Seating with a soft calf rest cushion adopts the inverted colourway of the exterior as sumptuous Charles Blue leather is accented with Peacock Blue piping. From here, one can admire Phantom’s Gallery, created as a centrepiece of the interior. Stems of embroidered roses climb through the glass fronted fascia, providing a spectacle for the occupants.

At the request of the patron, colour has been introduced in the form of Peacock and Adonis Blue butterflies, imbuing movement to the elegant motif. The family members also played a creative role with his wife designing the umbrellas while his daughter, Magnolia, defined the exterior hue of this Phantom.

Commenting on the work of the Bespoke Collective, Torsten Müller Otvos, Chief Executive of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said: “The Rose Phantom is a stunning iteration of a contemporary Rolls-Royce. Our extraordinary craftspeople at the Home of Rolls-Royce have achieved, with this car, something which can only be described as sublime. The work of our Bespoke Collective is the best in the world. When I look at creations like this car, it is with a sense of pride that I know that these skills could not be replicated anywhere else in the world. This is undoubtedly one of the greatest Rolls-Royce Phantoms of its generation.”

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