Looking to give your motor an upgrade, or maybe even get a brand new one? Then you’ll want to keep up with the latest trends. In this article, Mark Barclay from Parts For All Cars tells us the five ways that fashion is influencing our car choices.
Many people don’t realise how much fashion affects the motor industry, but the latest clothing trends have a huge impact on car designs, and vice versa. This isn’t a new phenomenon — the relationship between automobiles and fashion goes all the way back to the early years of the motor industry when clothes were specifically made for car journeys (Los Angeles Times).
In the modern-day, the link between the two is often more subtle, but it’s still just as relevant as ever. Here are five of the ways that fashion is influencing our car choices today.
Eco-friendly cars are in
In the same way that fashion gurus are opting for sustainable brands over fast fashion, many car lovers are singing the praises of eco-friendly motors. In fact, consumers as a whole are making sustainability a priority now, with eight in ten saying it’s important to them, and six in ten saying they would change their shopping habits to make more eco-friendly choices (IBM).
This is very clearly the case in the automobile industry, with electric cars soaring in popularity over the past few years. Between 2019 and 2020, there was a whopping 66% growth in registered electric vehicles (next greencar). And this number will continue to rise rapidly, as petrol and diesel vehicles will no longer be sold in the UK after 2030 (BBC News).
The Instagram effect
You may think of Instagram as the place to go to post pictures of cute dogs and smoothie bowls, but it can have a huge impact on car trends too. Many influencers on the app choose a car based on its colour and design, so that it will perfectly complement their feed. For example, fashion influencer Mariano Di Vaio’s new white Mercedes matches both his outfit and his light-coloured feed.
This is hardly surprising: fashion influencers make their money based on their image, so it’s important for them to perfect every single detail. But there’s no reason that the average consumer can’t make their choices based on their aesthetic too. After all, a car isn’t there to simply get us from A to B — it’s there to be enjoyed.
Major collaborations
The link between fashion and car design isn’t always so subtle. In fact, some fashion brands have a direct impact on the look of cars, as it’s not uncommon for major labels to collaborate with car manufacturers to bring out particularly breath-taking automobile designs. This isn’t a new phenomenon: for example, back in 1984, Peugeot collaborated with Lacoste to bring out a sport-inspired design, which proved to be incredibly successful.
Many fashion brands have successfully dipped their toe into the world of car design, including Yves Saint Laurent, Paul Smith, and Gucci, to name just a few. More recently, Hermès collaborated with Bugatti in 2019 to create a sleek and sophisticated one-of-a-kind design.
Sports fashion
The popularity of sports and athleisure wear has soared in recent years, with many of us refusing to choose between comfort and style. And its’ popularity is predicted to rise even further, with the athleisure wear market predicted to increase by 6.7% between 2019 and 2026 (businesswire). It’s no surprise that as the athleisure wear industry booms, the sales for outdoorsy vehicles such as the SUV have increased as well (Maxxia).
Sportswear brands are even collaborating with car manufacturers to create the ultimate sporty vehicles. For example, McLaren recently collaborated with Castore, a sportswear brand part-owned by Andy Murray, to bring out a new vehicle. On top of this, Castore released a clothing range using the McLaren logo to promote their collaboration.
Cars have become fashion statements
Car manufacturers see the impact that fashion has on their industry and are using it to their advantage. That’s why many companies market their motors as fashion statements, rather than simply a vehicle that gets you from A to B.
In fact, some car manufacturers sell clothing and accessories to be worn when using the vehicle. For example, Rolls Royce has their own range of luggage and umbrellas, and Ferrari sells clothing for men, women, and children. And it’s likely that the more fashion and cars become intertwined, the more manufacturers will use clothing to promote their products, so expect this to become a common phenomenon over the next few years.
Fashion and cars have been strongly linked for a long time, but the relationship between the two now seems closer than ever before. Whether you choose your motors based on fashion or simply practicality, don’t forget to look after them with regular servicing and top-quality car parts. And for tips and advice on all things fashion, make sure to check out the rest of the articles at British Style Society.
Images: Unsplash
