(Relaxnews) – Fiat has announced a collaboration with fashion brand Gucci to mark the 90th anniversary of Gucci and the 150th anniversary of their common home, Italy.
The ‘500 by Gucci’ has been custom-designed by Gucci creative director Frida Giannini and was launched on February 23 at the opening of Milan Fashion Week.
It will also be showcased at next week’s Geneva Motor Show, which is open to the public March 3-13 in Geneva, Switzerland.
The Fiat 500 is available in either a simple black or white paint scheme which extends to the interior, where Giannini has opted for two-toned seats in Frau leather featuring a Guccissima print.
The defining feature is a signature Gucci green-red-green stripe, which runs round the perimeter of the vehicle and appears on some interior finishings such as the gear shift, seat belts and carpets.
Gucci’s signature and colors also appear on the hubcaps, hatchback and brake calipers of the 1.4 liter model.
After the vehicle’s appearance in Geneva, the 500 by Gucci will be displayed in other cities including Paris, London and Tokyo, and fashion-loving motoring fans will be able to buy the vehicle from April 1 to June 30 online, with a list price starting from €17,000.
Automakers have a long history of teaming up with fashion houses to produce limited-edition models, which can become collectors’ items.
Last year, French auto brand Renault joined forces with Miss Sixty for a special-edition Twingo, while Citroen borrowed Yves Saint Laurent’s style to create a special edition of the DS3, although unfortunately that model never made it to market.
http://www.gucci.com/int/worldofgucci/articles/500byGucci