Designer Jeremy Scott Unveils New Smart Car Creation

Fashion designer Jeremy Scott, whose trademark wing-themed element has adorned high-top Adidas sneakers worn by the likes of Kanye West, has taken on a larger creative canvas: a Smart Car.

The designer — who has created one-of-a-kind outfits worn by Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Katy Perry — teamed up with the car brand to create an equally one-of-a-kind Smart Fortwo vehicle, titled Smart Forjeremy. According to Smart, it marks the first time a fashion designer was commissioned to make changes to a vehicle’s exterior body — the major addition, of course, being wings. Made of transparent fiberglass, the rear is also decorated with rocket-shaped add-ons that light up red to serve as brake lights.

The Smart Forjeremy is based on the current production version of the all-electric Smart Fourtwo ED. A similar commercial version will be launched in April 2013; production will be by demand and will retail around $24,000.

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The car was revealed Tuesday night at Jim Henson Studios in Hollywood, an evening which included a performance from M.I.A. The electronica and hip-hop star sang three songs including “Jai Ho” from Slumdog Millionaire before the never-before-seen Smart Forjeremy emerged upon a raised platform. The event drew R&B star Frank Ocean, fashion designers Arianne Phillips and Cameron Silver, along with blogger and TV personality Perez Hilton.

Upon its unveiling, Scott mentioned the hardest part of the project was keeping it a secret for an entire year. The conception of the idea began with Scott bringing Smart a hand-drawn sketch. After eight months, he fully developed the car working with the Smart Design Division at the Mercedes-Benz Cars Advanced Design Studios in Carlsbad, Calif.

“It was not just a case of creating a showcar, but rather of creating a near-series study with the potential for licensing it for road use,” said head of Mercedes-Benz and Smart designer Gorden Wagener.

Described by Wagener as a “veritable fireball of creativity,” Scott’s idea, said the designer, was “to make something that would be a fetish design object.”

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The exterior is coated in bright white paint against which the chrome-plated signature Smart Tridion structure gleams. The wheel rims, also chrome, are shaped like propellers giving a further sense of flight. Scott said he wanted the chrome to be super shiny. “Being a fashion person, I like to look at myself a lot,” he quipped on stage.

The interior emulates a “luxurious handbag” as described by Scott and features white Nappa leather in a diamond-shaped stitching, which covers the instrument panel, seats and door trim. The interior is highlighted with a U-shaped steering wheel that gives the feel of sitting in a pilot’s chair.

Annette Winkler, head of Smart, added to the announcement: “I really look forward to cruising the city in this item of haute couture.”