The Lincoln Continental Designer Series
Fashion designers not only design clothes, they design automobiles.
Beginning in 1976 and into production until 1993, the Lincoln Continental selected four designers to turn their Continental Mark IV-VII into superb vehicles. The designers were Ralph Destino of Cartier, Bill Blass, Hubert Givenchy, and Emilio Pucci. Each Lincoln is created to its own extreme. Similar to what you would see on the runway, the Designer Series Continental Mark V lives in its own world, with its different interior trim. Not to mention the different body paint for each. Throughout the years the designers would get together & discuss their ideas for each vehicle. Throughout the years, it would remain pretty consistent with the four designers but Gianni Versace & Valentino were able to design a Lincoln for a few short lived years.
What became so apparent to me at the time many years ago was the astounding amount of work fashion designers would do outside or off the runway. I thought fashion designers only worked on clothes, fashion? It makes me wonder, would something like this work today? Could it be possible and how many would they sell?
The 1977 Lincoln Continental Mark V Givenchy Edition
This specific Givenchy Lincoln sold for $28,000… I saw it for sale on eBay a few years ago for around $7,000. Although not in the condition of what you see above. The dark jade metallic still screams at me! I was mesmerized then & still am. With its interior a crushing velour, accompanied by some leather. This is a vehicle I think I could live in.
According to an article online, it states that the “fashion designer” experiment was a major success. A brand historian for Lincoln recalls that Mark VI sales accounted for more than 27% in the year 1976. The fashion designers would travel to Dearborn, Michigan located in the U.S.A. (where Ford Motor company manifufacturing is located) “for a festival of fabric and trim swatches, creative meetings, concept approvals, and wining and dining.” Source
(Photo 1,2, & 8: Scanned by yours truly)
(Other photos sourced from: Source)