Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has unveiled the Phantom Syntopia. An intricate, haute couture-inspired masterpiece created in collaboration with renowned Dutch fashion designer and haute couturière Iris van Herpen.
Based on Phantom Extended – the ultimate blank canvas for personalization – it is the most technically complex commission ever undertaken by the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective. Now, after four years of continuous development, this extraordinary and unique creation is complete; it will soon take its place in the private collection of a discerning patron of the brand.
Phantom Syntopia takes its name from Iris van Herpen’s landmark 2018 collection, designed on the principles of biomimicry, in which art is inspired by patterns and shapes found in nature. Like the collection, which comprises a series of highly sculptural garments brought to life through movement, Phantom Syntopia seeks to represent the elusive, ethereal beauty of fluid motion in solid materials through its ‘Weaving Water’ theme.
Exterior Coachwork: Iridescent Magnetism
To create the stunning, shimmering exterior, the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective developed a one-off Liquid Noir paint. Iridescent in sunlight, it reveals purple, blue, magenta, and gold undertones when viewed at different angles. To achieve this effect, the marque’s darkest solid-black paint is overlaid with a finish incorporating a mirror-like pigment, selected for its colour-shifting properties. To add a subtle, elegant shimmer, the team developed a brand-new technique for applying pigment to the clearcoat – a process that took several months, including over 3,000 hours of testing and validation alone.
Interior Bespoke Scent
The Phantom Syntopia is the first Rolls-Royce motor car to incorporate a Bespoke scent, creating a truly immersive expression of luxury. It was developed by an expert perfumer – now affectionately known as ‘the Nose of the Bespoke Collective’ – in close collaboration with the client. Designed to create a lasting memory, the fragrance is subtle and perfectly complements other aromas arising from the materials used in the car. The core scent is cedarwood and softer notes, and as part of this project’s constant quest for the ultimate in personalization, the cedarwood used was carefully sourced specially from the client’s home region.
The specially developed scent-releasing mechanism is housed within the headrests.
Interior Suite: 3D Art
Phantom Syntopia’s interior suite were handcrafted at the home of Rolls-Royce by the company’s leading craftspeople working alongside members of van Herpen’s team, while others were created in her Amsterdam atelier, alongside her haute couture garments.
On opening the magnificent coach doors, the eye is immediately drawn to the Weaving Water Starlight Headliner, the most technically challenging version of this signature Rolls-Royce feature ever produced. Precise symmetrical cuts reveal a silver ‘liquid metal’ texture made from woven nylon fabric underneath, used in Iris van Herpen’s ‘Embossed Sounds’ collection, giving the Headliner a three-dimensional appearance. It is finished with 162 delicate petals made of glass organza, applied by members of the couture team who travelled to Goodwood to undertake the work – a process that took nearly 300 hours. In addition, 187 of the 995 sparkling fiberoptic ‘stars’ were individually placed by hand alongside the artwork; illuminating sequentially, starting from the rear, and moving to the front, they create a feeling of movement. In total, the entire Headliner alone involved almost 700 collective hours of work.
The ‘Weaving Water’ theme continues throughout the unique artwork in the Gallery. Combining traditional haute couture techniques and innovative visual forms, this highly expressive work includes a further 85 petals, which were also attached by hand, representing almost 60 hours of painstaking work. The design to be found on the picnic tables and the passenger panel just below the Gallery mirrors the Weaving Water artwork on the bonnet. The motif was achieved by combining multiple coats of paint and lacquer containing different quantities of glass particles – an extraordinarily complex process that took over three weeks to complete.
Before commencing the work, the Exterior Surface Centre team had spent four months perfecting the formula, running nine trials before identifying the ideal proportion of glass particles: across the entire car, precisely one tablespoon has been used!
Phantom Syntopia will take its place in the client’s private collection in May 2023.
Author Profile
- Helen Siwak is the founder of EcoLuxLuv Marketing & Communications Inc and publisher of Folio.YVR Luxury Lifestyle Magazine, PORTFOLIOY.YVR Business & Entrepreneurs Magazine, and digital women's lifestyle magazine EcoLuxLifestyle.co. She is a prolific content creator, consultant, and marketing and media strategist within the ecoluxury lifestyle niche. Post-pandemic, she has worked with many small to mid-sized plant-based/vegan brands to build their digital foundations and strategize content creation and business development. Helen is the west coast correspondent to Canada’s top-read industry magazine Retail-Insider, holds a vast freelance portfolio, and consults with many of the world’s luxury heritage brands. Always seeking new opportunities and challenges, you can email her at helen@ecoluxluv.com.
Latest entries
FoF ☆ Culinary, Wine, SpiritsApril 22, 2024Vancouver Vices: ‘Backdraft’ Bourbon-Style Whisky Launched by VFC- ☆ Issue #24 - April 2024April 19, 2024Experience the [1.] Collection by Canadian Designer Charles Lu
- ☆ Issue #24 - April 2024April 19, 2024Meet Brandon Newell, Holistic Wealth Advisor & Rescue Advocate
- ☆ Issue #24 - April 2024April 19, 2024Showcase Pianos Presents: Celine Paolini, Elite Canadian Pianist
