Louis Vuitton and Singer Reimagine Two Bespoke Porsche 911s
Louis Vuitton has brought its expertise and savoir-faire to an extraordinary automotive project, guided by its Art of Travel philosophy. Working in close collaboration with Singer, the Californian atelier renowned for personalising classic Porsche 911s, the two houses have jointly revealed two remarkable cars.
The first car, a Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer – Classic, showcases an exclusive livery in the House's iconic colours: Saffron, cobalt blue, and yellow, specially crafted for Louis Vuitton. Its counterpart, a Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer – Classic Turbo, was conceived by Nicolas Ghesquière, Louis Vuitton's Artistic Director of Women's Collections. This cabriolet features a Calcaire Lutétien white finish complemented by exquisite precious-wood trim. Made-to-measure Louis Vuitton creations enhance both vehicles, turning every journey into a true celebration of the art of living.
The collaboration between Louis Vuitton and Singer grew from a conversation with the Californian company, a visionary in exceptional automobiles known for its exacting approach to vehicle personalisation. "This unique and remarkable adventure began with a request for a dashboard clock for a car reimagined by Singer. In addition to the design and production of this clock by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton workshops in Switzerland, it quickly became apparent to us that this collaboration with Singer could extend to the personalisation of every functional element of the vehicle, enhancing them through our expertise in leather craftsmanship and watchmaking," shares Jean Arnault, Louis Vuitton Watch Director.
Rob Dickinson, Founder and Executive Chairman at Singer, explained: "The specifications chosen by Louis Vuitton exposed us to techniques and methods developed over decades of experience. They trusted us with their esteemed brand, their traditions and their vision, and it was a joy to bring our two worlds together."
At the heart of the project sits a detachable, mechanical timepiece that converts into a desk clock. Its design draws inspiration from the iconic Tambour watch, recognisable by its distinctive shape and twelve polished, engraved letters that spell the House's name on the bezel. Once the team integrated the timepiece into the cockpit, they realised Louis Vuitton's involvement couldn't stop there. Redesigning the instrument display then became essential to achieve absolute coherence within the interior, a major technical and aesthetic challenge. What seemed a small task took the House's designers an entire year of relentless work. They reimagined every detail, including the speedometer, rev counter, and gauges, giving each one the iconic graphic codes of the Tambour line through the hands, dial terminations, and index systems. The chosen design language speaks for itself: a vivid cobalt blue hue accented with bursts of bright orange lettering strikes a perfect balance between horological expertise and the rigorous demands of the automotive industry.
Drawing on Louis Vuitton's Art of Travel philosophy, the project completely reimagined the vehicle. "The aim was to create a true synthesis between Singer's architectural and timeless language and the Louis Vuitton culture, characterised by refined materials, travel and expression of style," explains Octave Chany, Project Lead Designer at Singer. This creative partnership marks a historic first for Louis Vuitton, which has created its very first co-branded item, an equally unprecedented move for Singer.
For Louis Vuitton, the car transcends its role as a mere means of transport; it becomes an intimate world, an expression of personality and a pillar of the art of living. Louis Vuitton chose to express its vision through a coupé reimagined via Singer's Classic services and a cabriolet reimagined via Singer's Classic Turbo services, inspired by light and a nomadic spirit. Drawing on California's ethos of freedom, these creations are deeply rooted in the House's heritage and DNA, turning the journey itself into a work of art in motion.
"This collaboration brought together two organisations with a shared belief that true luxury is defined by craftsmanship, authenticity and an uncompromising attention to detail. It has been a privilege for everyone at Singer to be trusted with Louis Vuitton's remarkable 172 years of tradition and savoir-faire and to incorporate those techniques into our own work. Louis Vuitton brought an exceptionally bold and refined design vision focused on expressing the Art of Travel. Together, our teams combined that vision with Singer's approach to engineering, craftsmanship and execution, challenging one another to achieve a level of precision worthy of both organisations. I couldn't be prouder of how our mutual teams embraced that challenge. Along the way, what began as a creative partnership became a genuine friendship, both professionally and personally, built on mutual respect and a shared pursuit of excellence. These two automobiles are the result of that relationship, and neither could have been created without it," explains Mazen Fawaz, Chief Strategy Officer, Singer.
The Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer – Classic represents Louis Vuitton's most contemporary expression of the Art of Travel. Finished in saffron and cobalt blue livery and fitted with a specially designed roof rack that can carry a trunk, a surfboard or a pair of skis, this Porsche 911 immediately declares its purpose: Singer built it for epic journeys. Its fluid, aerodynamic silhouette hints at its performance capabilities, but the details fully express what Louis Vuitton means by the Art of Travel. Careful, meticulous creative work has reimagined every element and component to meet standards of savoir-faire rarely found in the automotive industry, each one chosen to convey real meaning.
The saffron shade has featured in the House's archives for over a century and a half and has appeared across its packaging for more than twenty years. It also resonates with Bahama Yellow, a hallmark hue closely associated with Singer's earliest commissions. It pays homage to the travel trunks Louis Vuitton designed for Citroën in 1924, which already featured cobalt blue interior reinforcements. This two-tone combination embodies Louis Vuitton's identity particularly well, echoing the bright yellow thread the House uses for the saddle-stitch seams on its leather goods and trunks.
In motor racing, colours have identified competitors since 1900, when the Gordon Bennett Cup introduced a system of national racing colours. The classic car features distinctive cobalt blue demonstration tyres, inspired by the handles and ribbons of the House's packaging, completing a visual signature defined by subtlety. The rear engine air intake grille echoes this approach, discreetly incorporating a geometric motif formed by the initials L and V.
Louis Vuitton has, naturally, adorned the interior with its signature. Leather with a natural hue inspired by VVT leather, one of the House's most widely used leathers, upholsters the entire cabin. Louis Vuitton uses this leather for the handles, shoulder straps, edging and labels of its exceptional luggage and its coated canvas bags, making it one of the House's most iconic signatures. Louis Vuitton's expert artisans selected their preferred leather for the seats, choosing the appearance and colour to complement the VVT-inspired trim perfectly, while Singer's team executed the interior leatherworking. The team paid meticulous attention to every detail: the door handles feature the same edge-dyeing technique used on Louis Vuitton bags, and yellow thread runs through the stitching. Diamond-patterned embossing on the seats, the front boot trim and the rear engine compartment echoes the "malletage" motif found inside Louis Vuitton trunks. To keep the driver and passenger comfortable, the seats include ventilation eyelets, each one handcrafted and finished to bear the iconic Louis Vuitton Monogram flower design. This motif also appears on the sun visor and headrests, echoing the windscreen.
This attention to detail has guided the artisans at Louis Vuitton and Singer throughout. Every component embodies an aesthetic ambition rarely achieved in contemporary automotive design. Handcrafted components made from premium, natural materials replace the plastic fittings typically found in a car interior.
Artisans crafted the adjustment knobs, control switches, locks, pull-tabs, and air vents in metal, predominantly rhodium-plated, using traditional techniques, and hand-finished each component individually with methods comparable to those used in fine timepiece creation. They carefully considered and adapted the tactile sensations, reflections and play of light, drawing on watchmaking savoir-faire in polishing and satin-finishing, and achieved the specific colours through anodising or electroplating.
"What makes projects like this one particularly exciting is precisely the opportunity to challenge these constraints and explore new approaches to aesthetics, identity and craftsmanship within the realm of automotive engineering. Projects of this scale and exclusivity allow for a level of attention to detail that is unusual in the automotive world. Every transition between materials, every metallic reflection, every knurled surface, every mechanical interaction and every graphic element has been meticulously considered, often at an almost microscopic level," explains Octave Chany, Project Lead Designer at Singer.
The team applied the same attention to detail across the entire vehicle, including the engine's technical components, which Singer finished to an unprecedented standard. The fuel and oil caps, for instance, incorporate the distinctive typography used on Louis Vuitton watch components within their markings. The team meticulously designed and crafted every element of the car to order, step by step, and extended this approach naturally to the passenger amenities featured in this extraordinary vehicle.
"With the creation of both cars, Louis Vuitton has, for the first time, drawn upon the full breadth of its savoir-faire, bringing together the expertise of every House métier in a unique and exclusive automotive project. Every department at Louis Vuitton has contributed to this unprecedented cross-disciplinary endeavour, from trunk makers and leather goods artisans to the fashion and footwear teams, and even the watchmakers from La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton," highlights Jean Arnault.
To fully celebrate the Art of Travel, Louis Vuitton has dressed the classic car's owner as carefully as it has dressed the car. Millésime leather forms the capsule pieces, echoing the cabin and finished in the car's own Saffron, cobalt and yellow, so the collection reads as an extension of the interior rather than a wardrobe set beside it.
The look begins with the driver: a racing jacket crafted from naturally grained leather features a perforated LV zip closure and three Monogram Flower eyelets across the chest, a motif drawn directly from the car's seats and sun visor. The silk lining discreetly repeats the embroidered flower, a detail only the wearer sees. Beneath it, straight-cut jeans in heavy cotton-and-silk denim feature a worn-in wash, subtle contrast topstitching, an aged-gold-engraved button, and a Louis Vuitton x Singer tab at the rear waist. Two footwear options complete the drive: the LV Rally, a car-shoe adorned with LV initials and a rubber-pad sole, or the LV Remix Derby, a hiking silhouette with heritage accents and a deep blue key bell decorated with the 'Louis Vuitton Singer' project and Monogram Flower eyelets. Driving gloves come perforated, in a natural hue or cobalt blue, while a jet helmet made of carbon and glass fibre, trimmed with calfskin leather and finished with a riveted peak, completes the figure.
Even the keys receive bespoke treatment. A folder sized for six keys opens to reveal a Louis Vuitton x Singer stamp. A cloche key holder highlights the House's signature blue and can loop around a bag handle or hang around the neck. A pochette for the car's documents, built on the lines of a 1950s business sleeve, includes a contrasting blue interior and a zipped pen compartment.
The luggage fits the car precisely. A 1950s-inspired helmet bag holds the bespoke helmet, its hardware tuned to the fuel cap's shade. The Bisten, a direct descendant of the suitcases the House first catalogued in 1892, features a blue handle and a name tag and keeps the wardrobe flat and crease-free. The Keepall, a House icon since 1930, packs a week's wardrobe into the cabin, and a pair of front-trunk bags fits neatly into the nose of the car.
As early as 1897, the visionary Georges Vuitton offered trunks designed specifically for cars, capable of securing to the rear or roof of vehicles and equipped with specialised, patented locks, a true revolution for the time. The innovation extended beyond functionality to design: the flat trunks stacked easily, maximising space and enhancing practicality. An innovative material, "Vuittonite" canvas, complemented this design expertise; it was waterproof, supple and could be dyed to match the car's colour for a completely bespoke offering. Lightweight and adaptable, the Louis Vuitton Auto Trunks closely followed the contours and curves of car bodies. From 1905 onwards, a comprehensive range of accessories became available, including specialised kits for roadside lunches and the ingenious waterproof "Sacs Chauffeurs", which cleverly used the space between the spare tyres to hold hats and personal effects.
Designed to fit the car's shape perfectly, the bespoke roof rack carries everything the journey needs and features a Louis Vuitton surfboard. Artisans handcrafted it in Angers before sending it to the Atlantic coast for its resin coating and fins, and it features Monogram marquetry in blond oak and rich walnut that required countless hours of craftsmanship. A pair of skis, created in the French Alps from wood, titanal, and steel, rounds out the range, with a combination of natural and technical materials ensuring strength, responsiveness, and agility.
Together, these accessories embody a complete contemporary expression of Louis Vuitton's historic expertise in designing functional equipment for motoring and travel.
Once the team finalised the coupé's design, they strengthened and extended the creative collaboration between Louis Vuitton and Singer through a complementary project: developing a turbocharged cabriolet under the visionary leadership of Nicolas Ghesquière, Artistic Director of Women's Collections at Louis Vuitton. Featuring white bodywork subtly enhanced with touches of brown, it reveals an interior where leather and wood harmonise in a sophisticated tribute to the elegance of classic motorboats. "Automotive design is a passion that has always lived within me. My collaboration with Singer has been a chance to reconnect with this fascinating world, a magnificent opportunity to explore truly exceptional automobiles," highlights Nicolas Ghesquière. The Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer – Classic Turbo embodies his vision by blending two distinct worlds: the nautical and the automotive. This fusion directly reflects the designer's approach, as he frequently brings contrasting worlds into his collections. The use of wood lends this cabriolet a unique and decidedly contemporary feel, much like Ghesquière's long-standing creative vision. The automobile, an inexhaustible source of inspiration, has recurred as a theme in his collections since he joined Louis Vuitton, as the iconic photoshoot for his first campaign illustrates.
Working closely with Singer's teams, Nicolas Ghesquière realised his vision for the ideal car: a vehicle open to the world, to nature and to the fullness of life, fostering direct contact with the sun and a profound sense of sensuality. The choice of a cabriolet came naturally. From the beginning of the project, he imagined it as the embodiment of the Louis Vuitton spirit: elegant, modern and assertive. The cabriolet therefore feels as sensuous as it is powerful, combining sophisticated styling with exceptional prowess. The large rear spoiler, typical of turbocharged models, underscores its capabilities. At the same time, the rear-opening luggage compartment stands as an impressive feat of engineering, revealing a teak-inspired wooden deck that extends the dialogue with the timeless beauty of motorboats. The colour scheme echoes Calcaire Lutétien. This white limestone has shaped the Parisian landscape, including the House's historic headquarters at Pont Neuf overlooking the Seine, with exquisite gold accents that adorn the car like subtle jewels and the natural hues of the leather and wood, reflecting Nicolas Ghesquière's sense of refinement and a way of life bound to the Louis Vuitton Art of Travel.
As with the coupé, the teams at Louis Vuitton and Singer reimagined every element of the vehicle, functional or decorative, with the same attention to the finest details, materials, savoir-faire and finishes. Each component is unique, integrating various wooden features including the bumpers, which presented an additional challenge for the designers and engineers involved. "The depth of dialogue established between the worlds of automotive design, fine watchmaking and leatherwork makes these two cars particularly remarkable. The collaboration with Nicolas Ghesquière was just as fundamental to elevate the concept. Nicolas Ghesquière's sensitivity to proportions, silhouettes and cultural expression has brought a perspective that has propelled the cars beyond traditional automotive design," notes Octave Chany, Project Lead Designer at Singer.
The bespoke dashboard clock sits not behind the steering wheel but at the centre of the console, upholstered in natural leather, where warm golden gauges, a dial finished in the exact shade of the exterior bodywork and a matching golden ignition key create a seamless dialogue between interior and exterior. The dashboard bears the Louis Vuitton signature, echoed at night in the tail lamps. In contrast, a distinctive leather patch on the steering wheel, one of Nicolas Ghesquière's signature details, subtly reinforces the House's identity. Craftspeople finished all functional elements in metal, applying the same meticulous attention to finishes and surface treatments as the Classic car, in harmony with the precision of fine watchmaking. Beneath the dashboard clock, the gearshift trim evokes the silhouette of the Noé bag via its natural-leather drawstring.
Behind the seats, upholstered in leather over a technical wooden shell, sits a luggage compartment developed specifically for the car's unique form. Craftspeople built it from varnished wood using the same technique employed for runabout decks, creating ample space for bespoke Louis Vuitton luggage fitted to the car as well as the lightweight soft top, itself inspired by the nautical world. Wood panelling also lines the rear engine compartment and the front boot, which houses a bespoke trunk composed of three cases that slot together to form storage compartments that are both functional and elegantly crafted. Leather fastening straps on the front and rear hoods, equipped with pin buckles, subtly recall motorsport, the traditions of trunk making and watch straps.
To enhance the driving experience of this exceptional turbocharged cabriolet, Nicolas Ghesquière has designed an exclusive capsule in which every piece answers to the car. It takes its cue from the cabriolet's own register, the white bodywork, the wood and the gold worn like jewellery, so that what the driver carries and wears extends the car rather than accompanies it.
The collection keeps time in more than one place. The dashboard clock, already at the centre of the console, finds its echo on the wrist in the Tambour Automatic, a forty-millimetre piece in ceramic and yellow gold whose bracelet runs unbroken, without a visible pin. When no one wears either piece, both rest in the Coffret Tresor, first made by Georges Vuitton in 1896 and reissued here as a pair: one cradles the watch on its cushion, the other holds the dashboard timepiece ready to clip back beside the gear lever. A smaller case, dual-flapped and closed with a magnetic snap, carries the watch alone.
For the driver, a made-to-measure suit in parachute silk works the House's second initial into raised, V-shaped seams rather than any badge, with discreetly engraved zip pulls and snaps. The driving gloves follow the hand in braided leather with a single hand-painted Monogram snap, echoing the wood that lines the cabin. The LV Sneakerina sits low and light underfoot, its signature visible only in a cut-out at the side. Sunglasses in gold and acetate hide a Monogram flower beneath one lens, and a helmet in carbon, glass fibre and varnished cream, finished with a tan visor, completes the look.
Louis Vuitton considers what the car carries as closely as what the driver wears. A garment bag folds flat against the cabin with a hanger and name tag inside. The Alma softens into a travelling shape, and the Express returns the malletage of a trunk lining to its interior, while the Noé carries the drawstring silhouette the gearshift borrows. The Cruiser, sized for little more than a pair of gloves and sunglasses, includes a loop to hold its own handle open. The Petite Malle is cut from a wood that mirrors the vehicle's finest details, drawing on a species whose warm hue resonates in perfect harmony with the car's signature palette, and the papers for a one-of-a-kind automobile travel in their own flat case.
Craftspeople built the larger luggage to fit the car. The three-part trunk already fitted to the front boot lifts out as three individual cases when the journey calls for it, and the Keepall 45 wears a removable cover that doubles its protection and changes its face, the way a car waits beneath its own fitted sheet.
The keys carry the same weight as the car they open. A key holder carries the LV Blazon, the emblem of the collection, and the Monogram Heritage necklace hangs a leather key bell and medallion from a chain, keeping the vehicle's key close. Even the smallest pouch, sized precisely for the keys to come, features contrasting yellow stitching.
Since its founding in 1854, Louis Vuitton has remained intrinsically linked to the world of travel and synonymous with developments in transport. From the late nineteenth century onwards, the rise of the motor car became a breeding ground for innovation at the House, which offered drivers an array of trunks, luggage and accessories designed to be as practical as they were refined.
In 1909, the twins Pierre and Jean Vuitton, grandsons of Louis Vuitton, went a step further and designed their own car, built on a sports chassis produced by the manufacturer Stabilia, to showcase the products of the House then led by their brother, Gaston-Louis Vuitton. After equipping the teams participating in the great Paris–Beijing and New York–Paris races that passed through Moscow, the House went on to supply ambulances during the First World War. It later worked with the most prestigious automotive designers and leading car manufacturers throughout the interwar period, notably providing luggage for some of their most iconic models. Industrial standardisation from the 1940s onwards ended the era of bespoke bodywork and bespoke trunks. Yet, Louis Vuitton continued to receive special orders, particularly for custom-made luggage designed to fit perfectly into a car boot.
Louis Vuitton's connection with the automotive world continued throughout the 1980s and 1990s, thanks to a series of landmark initiatives that celebrated both design and heritage. The House developed contemporary, bespoke trunks and luggage for concept cars. The automotive Concours d'Élégance, organised by Louis Vuitton in Paris with events at Bagatelle and later at Saint-Cloud, as well as in England, notably London, and at New York's Rockefeller Centre, attracted large crowds. The Louis Vuitton Design Award recognised the most innovative concept cars, and the major international Louis Vuitton Classic Run rallies captivated discerning collectors and admirers of the golden age of the automobile, embodying the very essence of travel.
This relationship between Louis Vuitton and the automotive world, characterised by creativity, modernity and a constant pursuit of excellence, has naturally fostered a close dialogue with Singer throughout the execution of both cars.
Founded in California in 2009, Singer represents a philosophy expressed as 'A Relentless Pursuit of Excellence'. The company has built its reputation on collaborating with owners of classic Porsche 911s to reimagine their cars, guided by three principles: beauty, craftsmanship and engineering; a celebration of the world's most iconic sports cars; and a deep connection with California and its automotive culture.
Singer's services enable owners to restore and personalise captivating analogue sports cars for the road and track. The company operates two facilities, one in California, where the Classic car was restored, and the other in England, where the Turbo Cabriolet was crafted. Today, a global community of enthusiasts follows the Singer brand. This year, the prestigious Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK recognised Singer's influence on the automotive world, celebrating it as the Central Feature Marque. The partnership between Louis Vuitton and Singer has produced two exceptional cars, in which every detail carries significance.
The collaboration between Louis Vuitton and Singer, singular and unprecedented, transcends a simple partnership. It represents a meeting of two worlds of excellence, where the depth of exchange has profoundly shaped the distinct identities of each House.
"This collaboration has been a unique experience of mutual growth. The project has provided us with new insights and fresh perspectives. A fruitful collaboration that has also highlighted the synergy and enthusiasm across all departments of the House," explains Jean Arnault.
Driven by the ambition to achieve an exceptional level of craftsmanship without compromising the integrity or functionality of the vehicles, the teams at Louis Vuitton and Singer have reimagined the two cars, giving them a unique, futuristic feel while retaining the timeless character and technical authenticity of the iconic automotive architecture of the two classic Porsche 911s that formed the basis of Singer's work.
Each design decision balanced bold innovation against considered homage. Every choice had to remain feasible and perfectly aligned with the strict requirements of engineering, durability, ergonomics, and design.
"It was important to remain faithful to the idea of a functional and useful vehicle. Beyond aesthetics, the car had to continue to express the emotional notion of travel, so deeply rooted in the DNA of Louis Vuitton, while preserving the purity, handling and technical integrity that define Singer," adds Octave Chany, Project Lead Designer, Singer.
The two cars reimagined by Louis Vuitton and Singer unite the full breadth of their respective savoir-faire, standing as a manifesto of an ongoing pursuit for perfection and embodying an art of living driven by performance, quality and beauty.
The Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer – Classic uses a Type 964 coupé chassis with lightweight carbon fibre bodywork in Saffron and a speed-activated rear wing. It runs a 4.0L, naturally aspirated, air-cooled flat-six, six-speed manual transmission, drives rear wheels, and has a carbon-ceramic braking system.
The Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer – Classic Turbo uses a Type 964 cabriolet chassis with lightweight carbon-fibre bodywork in Calcaire Lutétien white and a whale-tail rear wing. It pairs a 3.8L twin-turbocharged flat six with air-to-water intercooling to a six-speed manual transmission with selectable drive modes, drives the rear wheels, and stops with a carbon-ceramic braking system.
