Automaker Lexus & designer Bembury partner Champion for new collection

21 Aug '21

2 min read

Pic: PR Newswire

Luxury automaker Lexus has partnered designer Salehe Bembury for a collection showcasing an assortment of collaborative apparel printed on athleticwear firm Champion’s silhouettes. Lexus' future-looking mobility innovation and Bembury's signature nature-inspired design ethos come together for this capsule that challenges status quo in the automotive space.

In celebration of the next generation of Lexus and its commitment to electrification, the collaboration brings together two distinct, yet synergistic, design approaches that come to life on the blank canvas of Champion's most popular Reverse Weave styles.

“This collaboration was a new type of challenge for me. It is both challenging and rewarding to explore design outside of footwear and allowed me to think outside of my usual realm of design,” Bembury said in a press release.

For this partnership, Bembury approached Lexus' push toward the electrification of its vehicle lineup through his own lens, while bringing in graphic elements derived from the overall partnership and the Lexus NX vehicle. The 2022 Lexus NX, which was designed and engineered with the future of luxury in mind, served as a point of inspiration. The all-new vehicle ushers in a new era of electrification, intuitive technology, performance and design.

The Lexus x Salehe Bembury collection includes three unisex items: a hoodie, T-shirt and hat. The designs themselves were created by merging recognisable elements of Bembury's body of work, such as his logo and signature fingerprint, with graphic elements derived from the Lexus brand and its NX vehicle. As an emblem of a fresh and forward-thinking approach, the collaboration reimagines Lexus' iconic logo, distilling Lexus' human-centric design into an apparel collection.

Lexus and Bembury identified Champion Reverse Weave as the best apparel silhouette for storytelling and took a deliberate approach with details that would amplify the collection's narrative. For example, incorporation of reflective ink represents the idea of electrification and is used on both the T-shirt and hoodie.

“This collaboration merges different design disciplines to create a modern collection rooted in heritage for fans across the three brands,” Jon Ram, global president at Champion Athleticwear said. “As a brand that continuously pushes the boundaries of creativity, Champion is excited to work with Bembury and Lexus to elevate the conversation around design, fashion and technology.”

The project is a continued partnership between Lexus and Bembury, who designed a rendering of the LZ-F Electrified concept interior as part of the virtual interiors programme in April 2021.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (JL)

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