DESIGN IN MOTION
HOW THE HOTTEST INTERIOR TRENDS COULD DEFINE WHAT YOUR NEXT CAR LOOKS LIKE
How interior design trends influence the aesthetics of some of the world’s most iconic cars.
as Miranda Priestly sharply taught us in The Devil Wears Prada, the trickle-down effect of aesthetic incubators – such as the four major fashion weeks and global design weeks – inform many things that go unseen... from the colour of your bedding to a sudden desire for a rose gold iphone, right down to the pot plant designs at Kmart.
But did you know that they also inform street style of a different kind? Specifically, the cars we drive and interact with. It’s why the Toyota C-HR, Lexus UX and Honda Civic embody that anime-inspired mood of “hypebeast” culture, and why brands like Jaguar Land Rover and BMW are investing in lavish-feeling but sustainable fabrics.
“Architecture is always inspirational for us,” says Bentley design director Stefan Sielaff, who attends as many design fairs as possible, and notes that luxury cars aren’t just designed for “car people”. He adds: “Fashion, furniture design, product design – it’s very important because it’s not only us, our customer is aware of these things [and well-versed in them].”
With this design-savvy customer in mind, Bentley reimagined “digital detox” culture – also a big furniture trend at Milan’s Salone Del Mobile design fair in 2018 and 2019 – for its 2020 Flying Spur. The infotainment screen can be found on a beautiful three-sided wood panel with grain that lines up exquisitely within the dash and can be flipped to be hidden away. Similarly, the brilliant and very fast Mclaren 720S supercar has a minimising dash that, when you put it into “Track” mode, removes unnecessary distractions.
And then there’s the renewed focus on cabin ambience: think car interiors seemingly inspired by minimalist Japanese architecture, or complemented by fashion- and interiors-led textures, such as embossed upholstery that might resemble your favourite quilted investment handbag.
Despite Salone Del Mobile – usually held in April – being cancelled this year due to the coronavirus outbreak, trends move like the tides, so take note. Design is a direct response to the world around us, so perhaps the fallout from the pandemic will lead to a desire to double down on minimalism and practicality. Or perhaps it’ll go the other way entirely. After all, while life looks set to take on a slower pace, trends don’t sit still for long.