The Seats In This Ferrari Roma Are Made From A 75-year-old Kimono

Italian and Japanese craftsmanship have been incorporated into Ferrari's new Tailor Made Roma. Borrowing its design cues from Japanese artistry, the automobile is a one-of-a-kind model. The current special edition of the Roma was created in collaboration with Evan Orensten and Josh Rubin, the creators of Cool Hunting, an independent publication based in the United States.

The two had recently returned from multiple research expeditions to Japan. They chose a blue inspired by traditional indigo to decorate the automobile. The pigment is derived from a plant that is harvested and fermented to produce sukumo, which is then combined with lye, sake, and limestone powder. It possesses natural antibacterial characteristics as a result of its procedure.

Inside, the blue trend is carried on with custom inlays in the seats. It's made of an upcycled material called Sakiori. The cloth for this Ferrari Roma was made from two vintage kimonos made in Amami Oshima and colored with indigo 45 and 75 years ago. To make sure these kimonos would last, cotton, silk, and high-tensile nylon were mixed into their fibers.

The headliner is also blue. It represents an entirely separate level of traditional Japanese art. Two hides were used for the lining, which was dyed indigo using the Roektsu process, which traces its origins to the 8th century. The door handles are wrapped in black leather, paying homage to the ancient wrapping methods used for katana swords. 

Ferrari's Tailor-Made program allows customers to personalize their cars to their exact specifications. At the Ferrari Tailor Made Showroom at New York Design Week (May 10-20), you may see this Ferrari Roma.