Cars
INDIGO DREAM
Photography: Alex Howe
A Ferrari is always special. But it can also become a unique creation that reflects its owner’s personality and tastes, often adding greater value due to its exclusive character. Such benefits come from the Tailor Made programme, which offers Ferrari customers near limitless opportunities to customise their cars.
Look at the craftsmanship that makes this Ferrari Roma unique
The programme’s creative staff are always on the hunt for content that can be incorporated into their vast offering, which is how a collaboration came about between the Maranello Style Centre and Cool Hunting, the online lifestyle magazine established 19 years ago that focusses on creativity and innovation in the fields of art, design, and technology.
Flavio Manzoni, Ferrari Chief Design Officer, called the project “a meeting of cultures, between our brand and the knowledge of traditional Japanese craftsmanship that they proved able to incorporate into the car”.
It all began in New York with a meeting in the Ferrari Tailor Made showroom in Manhattan in 2019, just after the launch of the Ferrari Roma. Evan Orensten and Josh Rubin, Executive Editor and Executive Creative Director, respectively, of Cool Hunting had just themselves returned from a series of research trip to Japan, where they sought to discover traditional crafts and artisanal methods handed down for generations.
Copper details include the gearshift gate surround; detail of the Kamon symbol on the kick plate; detail of the modified Kamon symbol; close-up of one of the matt copper wheel rims
They came to that Manhattan meeting bearing samples of some unique materials. An idea formed – to interpret those materials, using the experience of Ferrari in order to transform them into elements that could accommodate the requirements that a modern high-performance car demands - durability and functionality - whilst still preserving all of their cultural appeal - durability and functionality - whilst still preserving all of their cultural appeal.
The founders of Cool Hunting leapt at the opportunity. They then met Flavio Manzoni himself and the Head of Colour & Trim, Silvia Cavallaro, who also heads up Range, Tailor Made, and One-Offs.
Orensten explains: “We wanted to handle the total design so we could do something truly special, and thanks to them that was possible. We made good use of the contacts established with the craftsmen we had met in Japan, and we wanted to communicate our experiences.”
The key expression of those experiences is indigo, a dye produced by fermenting a plant that is ubiquitous in Japanese culture. It is farmed chiefly in the Tokushima region of the country.
The cabin roof's hand-woven and hand-painted strips of highest quality leather
“Everything begins from the blue indigo,” says Manzoni. “It’s the leitmotiv of the project, to capture the beauty of the Roma and to enhance its shape. It is a car made up of essential volumes that are animated by reflections.” Cavallaro explains the characteristics of the exterior paint named Indigo Metal: “It contains very fine aluminium particles to give this liquid appearance, whilst taking indigo as the colour point.” The look is very natural, fresh, rather than cold as can be the case with other shades of blue. The matt copper wheel rims set off the surface shine on the bodywork, with a harmonious contrast that is repeated throughout the design.
For his part, Manzoni said how struck he was with the vacuum-seal Kaikado tea caddy that the two creatives brought from Kyoto as inspiration for the recurring copper details on the car, especially the gearshift gate surround. Its traditional crafting means that, as it is handled for a long time, it takes on a uniquely coloured patina which, in the gearshift’s case, is protected by a transparent finish.
Unlike the usual Tailor Made project, this particular car has no commissioning owner. “This version is a comprehensive expression of the vision of myself and Evan,” says Rubin. “We’ve played the part of the customer, even if they won’t be handing us the keys!” he jokes. Needless to say, that car key is itself a refined, exclusive item.