Few names command the cachet that Rolls-Royce has in the global luxury marketplace – and for good reason. A combination of timeless, classic design and an understanding of luxury that is unparalleled among automakers, Rolls-Royce embodies more than a lifestyle and is a symbol itself of the best of the best. Embracing its role as the world’s leading luxury automaker, and as one of the world’s leading luxury brands, Rolls-Royce isn’t afraid to showcase art and science, as is the case with the Phantom Syntopia project. An attempt at bringing haute couture to the roadway, the Phantom Syntopia, like many of Rolls-Royce’s projects, is not aimed at a wide audience but rather a select few. Naturally, with Rolls-Royce, one would expect nothing less.
In Collaboration with Iris Van Herpen, Rolls-Royce is promising the most “technically complex” bespoke Phantom it has ever made. Famous for its Starlight Headliner that recreates the night sky in the interior space of Rolls-Royce vehicles, the Weaving Water Starlight Headliner is similar in spirit but different from its forebear in implementation. Woven from a single piece of perfect leather, the headliner uses silver nylon thread to give its surface texture and a three-dimensional effect. Featuring 162 petals of glass organza, the hand placement of these petals is done by members of Iris Van Herpen’s team and takes up to 300 hours. The hand crafting of the stars in the headliner itself takes another 400 hours with the total estimated time spent on the car’s headliner alone clocking in at 700 hours. Underlining the craftsmanship and bespoke nature of the product, the hand placement of sequentially lighting interior lights further distinguishes this model from other Phantoms featuring the company’s Starlight Headliner.
Combining Iris Van Herpen’s style with Rolls-Royce’s timeless design, the Phantom Syntopia will also seek to push the boundaries of what luxury means while simultaneously redefining new standards in quality and craftsmanship. A theme of flowing water dominates the interior space with the interior ceiling treatment, “Weaving Water,” called the most complex in Rolls-Royce’s history. With no attention to detail spared, the Phantom Syntopia will also have its own signature scent. In addition to the sculptural elements within the interior, the collaborative effort also paid attention to the fabrics and textiles used in homage to both houses’ collective traditions.
Using the Phantom Extended model as the basis for the Syntopia’s execution, Rolls-Royce promises a bespoke product for the ages. Acknowledging the need to push boundaries and offer new approaches to luxury design, the water theme in the interior space seeks to convey concepts such as speed and fluid motion. Sculptural elements within the interior will reinforce this theme and offer a kind of beauty in motion ambiance to the space. Tying the concept of life itself with movement and water, the Phantom Syntopia is bedecked in Liquid Noir iridescent paint that shifts in tone in the light. Composed of purple, blue, magenta, and gold tones, the exterior dances with the movement of the light in a further call to the theme of motion.
