In our interviews with top designers at GM and Ferrari, we've learned that the auto industry is looking closely at the fashion industry as a source of inspiration. As this link becomes more significant, we're starting to see the two worlds merge. This weekend, GM revealed its latest cars at a celebrity fashion car show.
Jeremy Gutsche and I were invited by GM to come down to the event. Called the GM Style Event, the fashion show was held in Detroit for the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). Several major revels occured at NAIAS, with the new Camaro being the star of the fashion show. GM has been trying to reinvent its brand and gain more recognition in the automotive market, so the show fits perfectly with their goals.
It was the first invitation only event that featured stars with cars strutting their stuff done the runway. Jay Z was the secret celebrity that kick started the show, riding in the GMC Denali Concept. Additional stars included Kristen Bell, Nick Cannon, CariDee, Carmen Electra, Vivica A. Fox, Laird Hamilton, Cheryl Hines. Jennifer Hudson, Minka Kelly, Jimmy Kimmel, Mario Lopez, Nick Lachey, Danny Masterson, Petra Nemcova, Rosie Perez, Gabrielle Reese, Ashley Scott and Christian Slater. There were also musical performances by Lady Sovereign and three-time Grammy-winner John Legend. The Front row audience was also filled with celebrities including Vanessa Minnillo, James Blunt, Dax Shephard, John Salley and Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.
Style, fashion and design are so closely linked I think we can expect to see more events like this in the future.
Celebrity Fashion Car Show
The GM Style Event at NAIAS
Trend Themes
1. Auto-fashion Integration - The auto industry is increasingly looking to the fashion industry for inspiration, creating opportunities for collaborative design and branding initiatives.
2. Celebrity-driven Car Shows - Inviting celebrities to strut their stuff on the runway with cars is a growing trend, offering car brands an opportunity for high-profile promotion and brand repositioning.
3. Cross-industry Experiential Marketing - Events like the GM Style Event demonstrate the power of blending industries to create unique and immersive experiences, presenting new opportunities for branding and customer engagement.
Industry Implications
1. Automotive Industry - The automotive industry can explore collaborative design projects with fashion brands, leveraging the influence and creativity of the fashion industry to create innovative vehicle designs.
2. Fashion Industry - Fashion brands can partner with automotive companies to create unique and stylish vehicle accessories, expanding their product offerings and reaching a wider target audience.
3. Event Management Industry - Event management companies can leverage the trend of celebrity-driven car shows to organize and execute high-profile fashion and automotive events, attracting both industry professionals and consumers.