Rolls-Royce Blends Fashion, Art, Technology in Bespoke, Scented Phantom Syntopia

Rolls-Royce has been making the headlines in the automotive world since the first decade of the 20th century when Charles Rolls and Henry Royce established a business partnership that quickly resulted in building the “best car in the world.” The company was incorporated in 1906 and went through many changes over the decades, residing in the proud possession of the BMW Group since 1998.

And, of course, under German guidance, it has reached all-new sales heights – just like its former sibling-turned-rival at Bentley, under Volkswagen AG's tutelage. Alas, we are not here to talk about the record performance of last year because what really makes Rolls-Royce stand tall in any crowd is the OEM's ability to manufacture not just some of the finest automobiles in history but also truly bespoke jewels. The latest diamond on wheels comes with an interesting name and story – and it’s called Rolls-Royce Phantom Syntopia.

The moniker can be explained in two main ways. In biology, that would refer to the state of species co-existence within the same habitat. According to the urban dictionary, on the other hand, ‘syntopia’ is a future that is labeled as neither dystopic nor utopic, and instead is mostly identical to the current present.

Now, take whichever you want and apply it to the latest one-off from Rolls-Royce, then add a fashion guru, and “the most technically complex Bespoke Phantom ever produced,” to get the general picture. Zooming in, we are dealing with a collaboration between the British auto house and famous Dutch fashion designer and ‘Haute Couturier,’ Iris van Herpen.

Known for her forward-thinking creations that fuse technology with traditional haute couture craftsmanship, the 38-year-old Dutch, which has had her own label since 2007, is now involved with the creation of Rolls-Royce’s latest haute couture-inspired “masterpiece.” Well, that’s not uncommon in the ultra-luxury automotive stratosphere, right?

But how about the Phantom Syntopia standing out not just by way of “three-dimensional textile sculptures capturing the movement of flowing water,” a cool “weaving water” starlight headliner, or exclusive artwork hand-made by Rolls and Iris van Herpen's Amsterdam atelier experts?

No worries, there is still room for awkward innovation, as the Rolls-Royce Phantom Syntopia is a bit smelly – albeit in the best sense! Based on the current-generation (VIII) Phantom with the extended wheelbase, the unique Syntopia is the very first Rolls-Royce that has been mated to a bespoke scent in a bid to create the ultimate immersive experience. Naturally, Iris van Herpen will also deploy her fashion design skills for a one-off “haute couture garment” that will complement the new limousine. Oh, and in case you were still wondering what the name is all about, this is an ode to the designer’s namesake collection from 2018, which was “designed on the principles of biomimicry in which art is inspired by patterns and shapes found in nature.”