People -- 8 hours ago
Words: Charlie Thomas
The Defender is a British automotive icon, only rivalled by the original Mini, so you could understand our dismay when Land Rover announced they would stop producing it after a 60-year+ production run. It’s not going out without a bang though, as a number of special editions have been released, including, most recently this, a Paul Smith-designed one-off.
The Land Rover has long been the purist’s choice for off-roading. Indeed, the simple, functional design has remained virtually unchanged throughout its storied lifetime. Whilst it is most at home in the country, many have fallen for the Defender as an icon of British design – it is, after all, the longest running production car in British history.
One of those taken by the car is Sir Paul Smith, the acclaimed British designer and icon in his own right. Turning his hand to the Defender, he carefully selected a total of 27 colours, implemented across the many panels that make up the car’s boxy silhouette. The colours are fairly muted, apart from the fluorescent yellow, which references the car’s role in the emergency services over the years. Smith said: “I wanted deep rich colours, but at the same time, I wanted them to work together yet be surprising.”
Inside, Paul Smith’s signature quirks can be seen if you look carefully. A luxurious mix of leather and fabric has been used for the striped seats, and a hand-painted bee features on the roof, a mark of influence taken from the countryside. A complete one-off, this Defender is currently on show at Paul Smith’s Albemarle Street showroom in Mayfair.
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