- Posted on Monday, May 21st, 2007 at 5:16 pm
Winning Design on the Runway and the Highway
By Bob Boniface
Director, Advanced Vehicles
With our passion for design, it’s no surprise that GM’s collaboration with the International Academy of Design and Technology is such a natural fit. GM was back again to sponsor this fashion show for the fifth year in a row. The relationship is an expression of the interconnected worlds of fashion and automobiles.
As an auto designer, I turn to fashion design, furniture, architecture and even nature for inspiration. Automobile design is most successful when created as fashion design. I’m fond of saying you wear your car. What you wear and what you drive says a lot about your personality and who you are, just like a carefully selected outfit that’s just the right color, size, fit and style.
So why not have a competition where fashion designers draw their inspiration from cars and trucks?
At the Chicago Auto Show this year, GM kicked-off this competition by asking the students to design original fashion garments inspired by one of five of GM’s hottest vehicles: Chevrolet Volt concept, Chevrolet Camaro convertible, the 2007 Saturn Aura GreenLine, the 2008 Buick Enclave, and the 2008 Cadillac CTS.
Having worked on the two concept vehicles (the Camaro and the Volt), it was exciting to see how the winning garment designs captured the vibrancy and enthusiasm that we strive for every day as car designers.
We received nearly 100 entries and picked five winning designs. Before the show, I presented each winning designer with a $500 check from GM.
The looks on their faces said it all. It was the first time their designs were able to come to life on the runway. They are chasing their dreams and I understand how it feels to do something that’s always been your dream.
To see more of the designs, check out our Flickr set. If you’d like to see more from the show, take a look at this video.
One Comment
Shalanda Jarrett
This was a very exciting opportunity!!! I was very surprised that I was chosen as one of the winners! It was some what strange, yet nice, to be interviewed and photographed. Walking down a runway is always exciting. But to walk down the runway with your creation…..wow!!!As I have stated before, the dress is not only inspired by the car itself. It is also inspired by the technology of the vehicle- Hybrid. The rocks and beading represent the rings of Saturn.
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