Vauxhall released a set of photos that reveal a luxury driving set inspired from the Great British Road Trip and created by shoe designer Jonathan Kelsey. The set uses materials like metallic or gold leather and it includes driving gloves and steering wheel cover plus a key fob. Jonathan Kelsey worked along with some of the top industry names like Jimmy Choo and on this task he "wanted to create something that had a very luxurious feel to it and also celebrated the glamour of road trips in days gone by." Only 25 sets will be manufactured and sold at a cost of 195 pounds.
Vauxhall press release:
Hailed as the "British Louboutin", shoe designer Jonathan Kelsey brings glamour and sophistication to British drivers with his luxury driving set, consisting of key fob, driving gloves and steering wheel cover in his trade mark metallic leather and heavy black stitching. Studded gold leather driving gloves, complement the steering wheel cover’s metallic black and brown leather perfectly and the beautifully crafted key fob completes the set.
Jonathan was tasked by Vauxhall to design a piece on the theme of the Great British Road Trip, as part of the Vauxhall Collective programme, a scheme to support up and coming creatives in the UK. Having worked with some of the biggest names in the fashion industry including Jimmy Choo, Jonathan took inspiration from the materials he worked with day to day as a shoe designer.
"When I first got the brief from Vauxhall, I started to think about the idea of a road trip," commented Kelsey, "so I decided to focus on the pleasure of the road trip, being out on the open road and the idea of driving being a stylish adventure. I wanted to create something that had a very luxurious feel to it and also celebrated the glamour of road trips in days gone by."
The stunning driving set, a limited run of only 25, is available through the Vauxhall Collective website and costs £195.
Jonathan Kelsey was chosen to be a member of the Vauxhall Collective for 2008/09 by a Style Council made up of industry experts, including members from Central St Martins, London College of Fashion and Vauxhall Fashion Scout. The Vauxhall Collective for 2008/09 is made up of six categories, across fashion, film, photography, theatre, craft and design and fine art, and the commissions total in the region of £120,000. This significant arts support programme in the UK, reflects Vauxhall’s ongoing commitment to supporting style and design.
Jonathan Kelsey is a member of the Vauxhall Collective for 2008/09, an initiative by Vauxhall Motors. For more information visit www.vauxhallcollective.co.uk
Vauxhall Collective
The Vauxhall Collective is one of the most ambitious commercially-funded creative support schemes in the UK.
Members of the Vauxhall Collective are supported financially to carry out projects, consequently raising their profile in the industry and in the media, and giving them the resources to fulfil their creative potential.
A host of leading industry opinion formers from arts institutions including the Photographers’ Gallery, BFI, Film London, Crafts Council, Donmar Warehouse, Hayward Gallery, ICA, London College of Fashion and Central St Martins formed a "Style Council" to make the decision on the commissions.
The Vauxhall Collective for 2008/09 is: Simon Hasan for craft & design, Jonathan Kelsey for fashion, Ben Rivers for film, Gayle Chong Kwan for photography, Gideon Reeling for theatre and Matthew Darbyshire for fine art.
